By Onozure Dania Lagos—
Justice Mohammed Idris of a Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday granted leave to wife of Nigeria Ex- President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, to amend her civil suit. 
EFCC boss Magu and Patience Jonathan.
Her lawyer, Chief Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN) told the court that he had filed a motion to regularise the processes.
Justice Idris granted the application and also gave the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) time to amend it’s counter-affidavit.
Mrs. Jonathan, in the civil suit before Judge is claiming that EFCC froze four of her accounts with Skye Bank in the name of four companies. The accounts, she said, have a balance of $15,591,700 (about N5 billion) belonging to her. But, the companies, on September 15, pleaded guilty to laundering the money when they were arraigned in a criminal charge before Justice Babs Kuewumi. The judge, however, refused to order its forfeiture to the Federal Government until the trial of the others named in the charge was concluded. The companies are: Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd (represented by Friday Davis), Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Ltd (represented by Agbor Baro), Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Ltd (represented by Dioghowori Frederick) and Avalon Global Property Development Ltd (represented by Taiwo Ebenezer).
The Anti- graft agency had arraigned them with a former Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to President Jonathan, Waripamo Dudafa, a lawyer, Amajuoyi Briggs and a banker, Adedamola Bolodeoku. Dudafa, Briggs and Bolodeoku had pleaded not guilty to the 17-count charge preferred against them by the commission.
Patience Jonathan, in a separate suit against EFCC and Skye Bank, before Justice Idris, is seeking an order to de-freeze the accounts and release her money. At the resumed hearing of the matter Yesterday, her lawyer Adedipe told Justice Idris that his client amended her claim. He said he also filed a motion to regularise his processes, which the court granted. EFCC’s lawyer, Oyedepo Rotimi, said he would also amend his response to the suit. Justice Idris then said: “Leave will be granted to the respondent (EFCC) to file any amended process.”
Source: Vanguard Newspaper
