Wife of former Nigerian president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, Dame Patience Ibifaka Jonathan is set for war with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Her lawyers; First Law Solicitors has written a strong warning letter to Ibrahim Mangu. Acting Chairman of EFCC… “Consequently, we urge the EFCC to de-freeze our client’s accounts within 14 days from September 18, 2016 and tender a public apology to her. If the EFCC fails, refuses and/or neglects to comply accordingly, we shall file an action at the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights at The Gambia demanding N5 billion in exemplary and punitive damages.”
“The commission’s illegal and unlawful investigation of our client for alleged money laundering. These investigations have reportedly led to the freezing of our client’s accounts and led to untold consequences to our client’s health and wellbeing…It is our client’s brief that there was no formal criminal complaint of economic and financial crime as defined by the EFCC Act 2004 written by any person or institution against her which warranted the EFCC to freeze her accounts. It is also our client’s brief that the EFCC failed to obtain a court order as required by Section 34 of the EFCC Act before her accounts were frozen. It is our client’s further brief that, up until the writing of this open letter, she has not received any formal invitation to appear before the commission for questioning; whereas her accounts domiciled with Skye Bank have since been frozen by the commission without recourse to her.”
“The argument put forward by the commission in the public domain that, ‘investigations are ongoing. Mrs. Jonathan shall be invited in due course,’ are not only vexatious and provocative. They constitute an outright violation and rape of the fundamental right to fair hearing and ownership of property as guaranteed to our client by the 1999 Constitution (As amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, 2004. Indeed, Section 36(6)(a) & (b) of the 1999 Constitution (As amended), contains or laid down a sequence or pattern of commencement of investigation which must be followed strictly, to wit: (a) Persons charged with a criminal offence must be informed in the language they understand and in detail of the nature of the offence; (b) Such persons must be given adequate time and facilities for the preparation of their defence; etc.”
“Instead of strict compliance with the above pattern, as laid down by Section 36(6)(a) and (b) of the 1999 Constitution (As amended), the EFCC went after our client’s money by ordering a freeze of her accounts. With all due respect, the EFCC is a big thief! We hereby categorically and emphatically state Patience Jonathan should be left alone! Furthermore, there is no established legal or political precedent for what the EFCC is currently doing to our client.”
“How many former first ladies in Nigeria have received the Patience Goodluck Jonathan Treatment (PGJT) to have warranted the EFCC to engage in the effrontery to freeze our client’s accounts and subject her to public opprobrium, ridicule and disgrace?”