A Lagos Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday further adjourned hearing on a suit by the federal government seeking the final forfeiture of the sum of $5.7 million and N2.421,953, 522.71 linked to former First Lady, Patience Jonathan, till May 24.

The court presided over by Justice Cecilia Mojisola Olatoregun, had on April 26, 2017, ordered the temporary forfeiture of the monies, sequel to an ex-parte application by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), an order which was affirmed by both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

EFCC said the N2.4 billion is in an account belonging to La Wari Furniture and Baths Limited.

Following the temporary forfeiture, Mrs. Jonathan, through her lawyer, Chief Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN) and Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), appealed.

The Court of Appeal had on January 12, upheld the temporary forfeiture.

Dissatisfied, Mrs. Jonathan appealed to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court on March 15, affirmed the Court of Appeal’s judgment, directing the appellant to return to before Justice Olatoregun to show cause why the money should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government.

The Supreme Court also rejected her prayer to strike down the provisions of Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud Act, which the EFCC relied on in filing the application.

At the Wednesday proceedings, counsel for the EFCC, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, sought time to react to the processes filed and served on him by Patience’s lawyers in opposition to the forfeiture application.

“We got their affidavit at 5.5pm yesterday (Tuesday). A plethora of exhibits were attached. Their affidavit is replete with new facts.

“These are facts  are weighty, so weighty that they require us to respond. We don’t want any of their facts to be deemed admitted because we did not respond.

“I was served with a bulky document which has things that were not part of the original application. I’m only saying that in the interest of justice, we need to react to those issues raised,” Oyedepo said.

While adjourning the matter till May 24, Justice Olatoregun said, “I hope parties realise that there must be an end to backward and forward filing of applications.”