Patience Jonathan sues EFCC, demands N2b compensation

Mrs. Patience Jonathan, wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, has filed a fundamental human rights enforcement suit against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for alleged harassment and threats.

She alleged in the suit, according to Punch report, filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja that the EFCC violated her rights by dishing out various negative media reports, disparaging her as corrupt without any invitation for interrogation, trial or conviction.

Naija News gathered that Mrs. Jonathan in an affidavit filed in support of the suit cited instances of the alleged harassment by the EFCC, saying her properties and accounts have been invaded and freezed by the anti-graft agency.

She said the accounts which belong to her late mother, Mama Sisi Charity Oba, her siblings and relatives have been frozen, adding that some of her personal frozen accounts the five she opened with Skye Bank.

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The former first lady, according to the affidavit opened the accounts based on the advice by a former Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde, on how she could pay for her treatment abroad without having to move huge cash around in violation of money laundering laws.

The affidavit also accused the EFCC of demonstrating “pathological dislike” towards the former first lady despite the fact that she was never a public office holder.

She is therefore, seeking an order for general damages/compensation in the sum of N2bn for the alleged violation of her fundamental rights.

She also wants a declaration that indiscriminate freezing of her bank accounts and those of her relatives by the EFCC under the guise of investigation of proceeds of crime, without any invitation or interrogation by the respondent is a violation of her rights to own property and to fair hearing in accordance to Sections 44 and 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

One of her lawyers, Sammie Somiari, in the affidavit stated, “The investigation into the operations of her pet project, when she was First Lady, is an unprecedented act of animosity against her as none of her projects was funded by the government at any level.

“The respondent had physically raided the homes of the applicant and her relatives both in Abuja and Yenagoa. Recently the respondent raided the home of the applicant’s first daughter, both at Port Harcourt and Abuja.

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“The respondent has waged a psychological war on the applicant by its threats of arrest of the applicant and her relations, such as Mrs. Esther Oba, Tamunotonye Oba and her elder brother, Mr. Aseminaso Nyengierefaka.”

Mrs Jonathan also alleged that the EFCC was persecuting her over her political views during the campaign for the 2015 presidential election, accusing the commission of waging “psychological war” against her by incessantly intimidating and harassing her and the people around her.

The case was heard before Justice John Tsoho on Thursday, and adjourned until November 16.