Court Sets Aside Order Freezing 16 Accounts of Patience Jonathan

Alex Enumah in Abuja

Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday set aside an order made on May 30 freezing 16 accounts belonging to wife of former President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

The judge in setting aside the order, held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which secured the freezing order failed to conduct its investigation into the alleged infractions involving the 16 accounts.

Justice Nyako’s decision was sequel to an application by the counsel to Mrs. Jonathan, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), asking the court to set aside the ex-parte motion filed by the EFCC for continued control of the accounts.

Speaking to journalists outside the court, Ozekhome disclosed that the court in addition, ordered the EFCC to conduct its investigation within 90 days of freezing the accounts in May, but that the commission failed to carry out the said investigation.

“The judge, Justice Binta, had given the EFCC 90 days within which to investigate and prosecute parties involved in the allegations but they never did that. So we asked the court to set aside the interim forfeiture order. The judge set aside the order granted on May 30,” Ozekhome said.