A federal High Court, in Lagos, has
granted an order temporarily freezing N350 million belonging to AM-PM Global
Network Limited, alleged to have been secretly hidden in an account with
Stanbic-IBTC Bank by former First Lady, Patience Jonathan.
Justice Hadiza Rabiu-Shagari ordered
the temporary freezing of the account following an ex-parte application filed
by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and argued by its
counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo.
In a nine-paragraph affidavit attached
to the ex-parte application and sworn to by an operative of the anti-graft
agency, Mr. Musbau Yahaya, the commission said it sometimes ago received a
damning intelligence report concerning the funds.
It further averred that upon
investigation, it was found out that the bank was in possession of proceeds of
unlawful act and retained same in the account sought to be attached.
EFCC stated that between June 20, 2012
and November 15, 2013, the respondent (AM-PM Global Network Limited),
fraudulently received N1,206, 950 billion into its Diamond Bank account number
0026718889, being proceeds of unlawful enrichment derived by Patience Jonathan,
who was then appointed Permanent Secretary by the Bayelsa State Government.
Yahaya also swore that in a bid to
dissipate the fund, the respondent opened account number 0016971559 with
Stanbic-IBTC Bank at Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island branch.
He also averred that out of N1,206,950
billion, AM-PM Global Network Limited transferred N350 million from its Diamond
Bank’s account to the account sought to be attached in Stanbic IBTC in a
desperate bid to dissipate the funds.
Justice Rabiu-Shagari after listening
to the submissions made by the Commission’s counsel, ordered the Manager of
Stanbic-IBTC Bank, Walter Carrington Crescent branch, to in the interim freeze
the N350 million belonging to AM-PM Global Network Limited kept in the bank.
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