Justice Dimgba of the Federal High Court Abuja has ordered an interim forfeiture of Mrs. Patience Jonathan’s two properties in Abuja in a ruling on an ex-parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in September last year.
He dismissed Mrs. Jonathan’s objection to the application for lacking in merit. He ruled that the order will only last for 45 days and 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. He 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.
The properties which are both situated in Abuja, are said to be held in the name of Ariwabai Aruera Reachout Foundation, which Mrs Jonathan is said to be one of its “trustees.”