Justice Olatoregun presiding over a Federal high court sitting in Lagos south west Nigeria today ordered for oral evidence in a suit filed by the Economic and financial crime commission EFCC seeking for an order to forfiet the sum of #9.2bn and $8.3m linked to Ex first Lady patience Jonathan.

He said: “I have stated here that the right of parties in this siut can not be determined by affidavit evidence unless the oral testimonies are called with cross extermination.”

“I hereby order parties to call upon their witnesses so that the right of parties can be determined one way or the other”.

Justice Olatoregun had earlier in her ruling, dismissed numerous preliminary objections filed by patience Jonathan and her co -defendants that temporary forfiture made in May 2018 is an abuse of court process.

Justice Olatoregun then adjourned to 13th and 14th of March for oral evidence.

The court had in May 2018 granted temporary forfeiture of N9.2 billion and $8.4 million linked to the embattled former First lady.

The funds were alleged to be in the custody of Skye Bank Plc, Diamond Bank Plc, Stanbic IBTC Bank and First Bank Plc

The court also directed EFCC to publish the order in a national newspaper within 14 days of the order and that the respondents be served with the order.

Listed alongside Mrs Jonathan as respondents in the suit include one Esther Oba and five companies namely :Globus Integrated Services Limited, Finchley Top Homes Limited, Am-Pm Global Network Limited, Pagmat Oil and Gas Limited and Magel Resort Limited.

Hellijia Tukura, an EFCC investigator, who deposed to a 15-paragraph affidavit in support of the application, averred that investigations by the Anti-graft agency showed that the funds found in the bank accounts linked to Mrs Jonathan emanated from the coffers of the Bayelsa State Government.

The funds, he said, were moved when the former first lady served as a permanent secretary in one of the ministries in the state.

Mrs. Jonathan was alleged to have first opened a First Bank account and then “procured” the then Senior Special Assistant to former President Goodluck Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, to fund the account with “proceeds of unlawful activities”.

“The total sum of $4,036,750.00 (Four million, thirty-six thousand, seven hundred and fifty United States’ dollar) reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities, were deposited into account No. 2022648664 domiciled in First Bank Plc .

“On the 28th day of September, 2016, the former first Lady , in dissipating the money sought to be forfeited, transferred the sum of $3,640,794.72 to the her account No. 2031277178 domiciled in First Bank Plc.

“On the 5th day of October, 2016, she withdrew the sum of $1,000,000.00 cash from the said account leaving the balance of the sum of $3,645,013.73 which sum we are urging this honourable court to forfeit in the interim to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

”As at the time the various sums were deposited in into her account, she was a serving permanent secretary in the employment of the Bayelsa State Government.

“The funds sought to be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria are not her lawful earnings but are rather reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities”, the deponent averred.

The deponent further stated that the companies mentioned in the application were not into “any legitimate income-yielding business venture” but were rather incorporated at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) for the purpose of warehousing proceeds of unlawful activities for the former first lady.

He said domestic servants at the Presidential Villa were regularly sent to deposit money into the companies’ accounts for Mrs. Jonathan.

Making specific reference to Globus Integrated Services Ltd., Mr Tukura said: “None of the Directors of the 2nd respondent are signatories to the said account”.