SAN FRANCISCO, April 30, (THEWILL) – The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered an interim forfeiture of two properties linked to the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience Jonathan.
In a ruling, on Monday, on an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the trial judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, dismissed Mrs Jonathan’s objection to the application for lacking in merit.
Justice Dimgba also ruled that the order will only last for 45 days adding that within the 45 days, the EFCC must conclude its investigations and charge the suspects being investigated in respect of the alleged crimes linked to properties.
He, however, added that the EFCC was at liberty to file an application for the extension of the lifespan of the order before the expiration of the initial 45 days.
Justice Dimgba also ordered that if for any reason EFCC’s officials needed to access the properties within the period of interim forfeiture, they must do so with the respondents in attendance.
