The former first lady and wife of ex-president Goodluck Jonathan has opened up on the on the purpose of the $15 million found in her account by the Economic and Financial Crimes commission, EFCC.
The former first lady said the money ws meant to cater for medical bills whenever she was out of the country.
Patience Jonathan in a letter addressed to the anti-graft agency therefore urged it to life the ban placed on the Skye Bank account.
In her letter with reference number GA/Abibo/00226/2016 through her legal counsel, Granville Abibo (SAN) and Co, addressed to the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, Patience Jonathan said: “It is noteworthy to emphasise that the said accounts, which were in US dollar denomination, were card-based accounts and our client is the sole signatory to these accounts.
“However, our client has been operating the said accounts using the cards for her medical bill payments and purchases for her private purposes without any let or hindrance.
“Our client was therefore surprised when the said cards stop functioning on July 7, 2016, or thereabout. Our client immediately, thereupon, contacted Skye Bank Plc through our solicitors.
“It was only then that the bank officials informed our client that the said accounts were placed on a ‘No Debit Order’ following investigations and instruction from your commission and this is without notice to our client by either the bank or the commission.
“It is in the light of the foregoing that we urge you to use your good offices to vacate the ‘No Debit/Freezing Order’ placed on the said accounts.”
She further continued in the letter: “Despite the foregoing, our client, who is a law-abiding citizen, has watched with surprise how efforts are being made surreptitiously to indirectly harass or harangue her and short-change her of her personal funds in breach of her fundamental human rights.
“We urge you sir, to kindly intervene to stop the untoward and wrongful actions of your officials to embarrass, inconvenience and short-change our client.”