The hearing of the final forfeiture application of the sum of $5,845,316 and N2,421,953,522, said to belong to the former first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, has been fixed to March 28.
Justice Tijjani Ringim of a Federal High Court in Lagos fixed the date after listening to the arguments of counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Rotimi Oyedepo SAN.
Other defendants in the suit are La Wari Furniture and Baths Limited.
It would be recalled that Justice Cecilia Mojisola Olatoregun, now retired, had on April 26, 2017, while granting Exparte’s application for the interim forfeiture of the said sums filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), ordered that the said sums were warehoused by Skye Bank and Ecobank Nigeria Plc, be forfeited in the interim.
The order was vigorously challenged up to Supreme Court. But the Supreme Court ordered that the lower court should continue with the hearing of the matter.
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However, upon Justice Olatoregun’s retirement, the suit was transferred to Justice (Professor) Chuka Obiozor, who was later transferred to another jurisdiction.
At the resumption of the trial, defence counsels, Mike Ozekhome SAN and Sammie Somiari SAN applied to the court that that case be adjourned sine die pending the outcome of their appeal. The request was opposed by Oyedepo.
“My Lord, the only motion ripe for hearing which is binding on my Lord in view of Supreme Court judgement is that of final forfeiture,” he said.
Justice Ringim, after taking arguments from counsel, upheld Oyedepo’s submissions and directed that motion for final forfeiture would be taken and determined first as canvassed by the EFCC counsel.
Thereafter, the judge adjourned the case to March 28, for the hearing of the application for final forfeiture.