Court strikes out Patience Jonathan’s N2bn suit against EFCC

A federal high court in Abuja has struck out the human rights abuse suit which Patience Jonathan, former first lady, filed against the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC).

Jonathan had filed a N2 billion suit against the commission on the grounds that the freezing of her accounts violated her fundamental rights.

She had said the commission’s search conducted on her residence was unconstitutional.
But at its sitting on Tuesday, the court ruled that the forfeiture order obtained by the EFCC on the accounts was in order.

John Tsoho, the presiding judge, said her complaints did not have legal backings since the issue for which the accounts were frozen were still being investigated by the EFCC.
He also ruled that Jonathan failed to show reasonable evidence to prove her submission and so, was not entitled to the reliefs she sought.

He held that she failed to provide cogent evidence to show how her residence was raided by the EFCC.

According to the judge, Jonathan’s rights to fair hearing, own property, family life or dignity of human person were not violated by the EFCC.
“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 judge said, adding: “the suit is struck out.”