Court dismisses Patience Jonathan’s rights violation suit

A Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out a N2billion rights enforcement suit filed by former First Lady, Patience Jonathan against the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC).

Patience had in the suit alleged that the freezing of accounts belonging to her and some of her relatives following interim forfeiture orders got by the EFCC and the search on her properties, amounted to violation of her fundamental rights.

She sought damages at the cost of N2b.

In a judgment this afternoon, Justice John Tsoho held that although the case was not an abuse of court process, as argued by the EFCC, Mrs. Jonathan was not entitled to all the reliefs she sought because she failed to prove her case.

The judge said the EFCC was right to have obtained interim forfeiture orders on the accounts upon reasonable suspicion that the accounts were used for criminal activities.

The judge said her complaint about the freezing of her accounts and those of her relatives was premature since investigation on the accounts was still ongoing.

Justice Tsoha also said Mrs. Jonathan failed to prove her claim that her investigation by the EFCC was vindictive because her husband conducted the 2015 presidential election against the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari and because of her strong views against Buhari during the campaign.

The judge said: “Having held that the applicant’s case is not made out, I further hold that this applicant is not entitled to any of the reliefs sought in this application. The suit is struck out.“

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