The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday urged the Supreme Court to affirm an order of interim forfeiture made by the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court in respect of the sum of $8.4m linked to the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Mrs Patience Jonathan.
Patience, through his lawyers, led by Mr Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), argued her appeal before the apex court on Wednesday to challenge the order of interim forfeiture.
She, also challenged the constitutionality of section 17 of the Advanced Fee Fraud Act and other Fraud related offences Act, which was relied on by the Federal High Court t to issue the order of interim forfeiture.
Responding, EFCC’s lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, urged the apex court not only to dismiss the appeal but to also uphold the constitutionality of section 17 of AFFA.
The Justice Dattijo Muhammad-led the five-man panel of the Supreme Court which heard the appeal on Wednesday, fixed March 8 to deliver its judgment.
Other members of the apex court’s panel are Justices Kumai Akaahs, John Okoro, Ejembi Eko and Sidi Bage.
The EFCC had earlier in the year approached the Federal High Court in Lagos with an ex parte application seeking the forfeiture of the sum of $8,435,788.84 and other various sums in various bank accounts linked to the wife of the former President.
