Lawyer to former First Lady, Mrs.
Patience Jonathan, Timipa Okponipere, Senior Partner of First Law Associates,
has given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, 14 days with
effect from September 18, to defreeze her accounts and tender a public apology
to her. In an
open letter to EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, urged the commission to leave Mrs.
Jonathan alone, warning that if it refused to conform, “We shall file an action
at the African Commission on Human Rights at the Gambia demanding N5 billion in
exemplary and punitive damages.”
The lawyer said: “There is no established
legal or political precedent for what the EFCC is currently doing to our
client. How many former first ladies in Nigeria have received the Patience
Goodluck Jonathan treatment, to have warranted the EFCC to have the effrontery
to freeze our client’s accounts and subject her to public opprobrium, ridicule
and disgrace?
This nonsense must stop forthwith. “Our client is a respected
senior citizen of international repute, a retired Permanent Secretary and the
immediate past First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Our client is a
law-abiding citizen who has never, or at all, been the subject of any criminal
and/or financial investigation, whether at home or abroad. Accordingly, she has
not been found guilty of any criminal conduct throughout a sparkling public
service career spanning over 35 years. “During the five years our client served as first
lady, she was the Initiator/Founder of the Aruera Women Foundation, as well as
the Women for Change Initiative, both of which are non-governmental
organisations, substantially contributed to the 35 per cent affirmative action
for women in the country. Our client is the recipient of numerous local and
international awards in recognition of her untiring commitment towards
uplifting the living standard of women, children and the aged in Nigeria......"
Cut short,read rest from vanguard
Lawyer to former First
Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, Timipa Okponipere, Senior Partner of First
Law Associates, has given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC, 14 days with effect from September 18, to defreeze her accounts
and tender a public apology to her.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/patience-jonathan-gives-efcc-14-days-defreeze-accounts/
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/patience-jonathan-gives-efcc-14-days-defreeze-accounts/
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