Patience Jonathan Not Under Efcc Investigation – Lai Mohammed

Source: thewillnigeria.com

BEVERLY HILLS, SEPTEMBER 14, (THEWILL) – The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has stated that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, was not probing former first lady, Patience Jonathan, for claiming ownership of $34.1m in a case where the anti-corruption agency had given a freezing order.

Recall that the former first lady recently approached the Lagos federal high court claiming ownership of the sum seized by the EFCC. She is reported to have written to the EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Magu, explaining that the amount frozen in four companies' accounts were being used to settle her medical bills.

But speaking with journalists in Kwara state on Tuesday, Mohammed explained that it was only after the wife of the immediate past president took ownership of the aforementioned sum that another $5 million was discovered.

According to him, “If you look at the history of Mrs. Patience Jonathan's issue, I think she was the one that came out to claim that the money found in the accounts of one of the aides to the former President, her husband, belonged to her.

“It was not the EFCC that claimed so. She claimed that the money that the guy was being prosecuted for belonged to her. It was only then they later found an extra $5m in another account.

“It is not as if anybody has gone out to probe Mrs. Jonathan directly or indirectly. Rather Mrs. Jonathan was the one that said 'that money for which you are accusing Mr. X actually belongs to me.

“So, you cannot start talking of prosecution or persecution,” the minister asserted.