Ex-First Lady free to spend $5.9M as EFCC withdraws case against her

monjola sotubo

April 25, 2017 3:12 PM

The EFCC had filed a stay of execution after the court ordered, on April 6, that the restriction on Mrs Jonathan’s account be lifted.

Patience Jonathan was Nigeria's First Lady from 2010 to 2015. She's now been accused of corruption to the tune of millions of dollars

Former First Lady,

The Federal High Court in Lagos reached the decision on Tuesday, April 25, after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) withdrew its appeal against an earlier court decision to unfreeze the bank account.

EFCC lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, however told the court on Tuesday that the commission had changed its mind about the appeal and as such was withdrawing its application for a stay of execution.

The account was frozen by the EFCC in September 2016 over suspicions that the funds were laundered.

Mrs Jonathan subsequently filed a suit against EFCC asking the court to unfreeze the account.

She insisted that the funds were gifts from friends and associates and were legally acquired.

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The ex-first lady also demanded the sum of $200 million from the commission as damages for infringing on her rights.

monjola sotubo