The Economic and Financial Crimes Commision (EFCC) has traced N2.114bn to the bank account of Magel Resort Limited, which was allegedly owned by Mrs. Patience Jonathan and her late mother, Mama Charity Oba, Punch reports.

Background:

• The anti-corruption agency had frozen 15 accounts belonging to the former first lady, stating that the funds were proceeds of corruption.
• Mrs Jonathan had filed a N2bn fundamental human rights suit against the EFCC, accusing the anti-graft agency of subjecting her to psychological trauma and freezing her late mother’s account.

The report:

According to Punch, an interim report by the EFCC revealed that N2.114bn was found in her late mother’s account.

The report states, “Another company owned by Mrs Jonathan is Magel Resort Ltd. It was incorporated by Mrs. Jonathan’s late mother. But Patience Jonathan became the sole signatory to the account of the company by board resolution upon the demise of her mother.

“Though registered as a resort agency, sources at the EFCC disclosed that the agency was probing the circumstances in which the firm secured over N200m IT contract from the National Information Technology Development Agency.

“The contract was allegedly bankrolled through the National Information Technology Development Fund. Several other persons under investigation for money laundering by the anti-graft agency were discovered to have made payments into the company’s account including a hotelier in Central Area, Abuja, who has been invited for questioning.

“The total sum allegedly laundered through the account of Magel Resort Limited, owned by Mrs Jonathan and her late mother, is put at N2.114bn.”

Azeez