THE COURT SCHEDULES PATIENCE JONATHAN’S FINAL FORFEITURE HEARING FOR MARCH 28.

The beginning of the hearing on the final forfeiture suit for the sum of $5.8 million and N2.4 billion linked to the former first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, has been set for March 28 by a Federal High Court in Lagos.

After making a decision regarding the points raised by the parties’ attorneys, Justice Tijani Ringim set the date.

You may recall that on April 26, 2017, Justice Cecilia Mojisola Olatoregun, who is now retired, granted Exparte’s request for the temporary forfeiture of the aforementioned sums filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and ordered that the aforementioned sums, which were being stored by Skye Bank and Ecobank Nigeria Plc, be forfeited temporarily.

The order was vehemently contested all the way to the Supreme Court. However, the Supreme Court mandated that the lower court continue the case’s hearing.

However, the case was given to Justice (Professor) Chuka Obiozor after Justice Olatoregun retired.

But before Justice Obiozor could take charge of the case, he was moved to another area of the court, and as a result, Justice Ringim took over the case.

La Wari Furniture and Baths Limited’s counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), representing Ige Asemudara, informed the court at the case’s resumed hearing today that his client has two outstanding petitions with the court, one of which requests a stay of the suit’s proceedings due to its pending appeal. whereas the request in the second application was for a fresh start (afresh).

Additionally, Patience Jonathan’s attorney, Sammie A. Somiari (SAN), sided with Ozekhome’s argument (SAN).

Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), the attorney for the EFCC, vigorously contested the motions, arguing that it was the court’s business for the day to consider the request for the money’s final forfeiture.

After hearing arguments from counsel, Justice Ringim agreed with the EFCC’s legal grounds.

As a result, with the consent of the attorneys, Justice Ringim continued the hearing on the request for the money’s final forfeiture until March 28.