Former First Lady, Patience Jonathan yesterday
explained that she withdrew $100,000 from her unblocked Skye Bank account for
medical treatment.
Speaking through her solicitor, Barrister Charles
Ogboli, the former first lady, said she never wanted to withdraw all the money,
but just to ensure compliance to the order of court.
“She wanted to withdraw $5 million on Friday but
unfortunately there was no funds and they (the bank) pleaded with her that she
can withdraw $100,000 in order to comply with the order of court. They have
complied fully with the order of court,” he said.
“Therefore the Notice of Appeal (by the EFCC)
came late. The Notice and Stay of Execution is a mere application. And we are
talking of court order. Appeal has not been entered yet; records have not been
transferred from the lower court to the Court of Appeal.
In the Administration
of Criminal Justice Act, by mere fact that you have an appeal against a proceeding,
it does not stop the trial from going on. That was what they were acting upon.
“Unfortunately for them, the order has been
executed. Even when you move the motion it is an exercise in futility. So we
are going to court to respond to whatever they filed. The issue is that she
went to the bank and applied and account was debited with $100,000.
There were
no challenges as to withdrawal from her account. She was not in any pressure to
withdraw all the money, after all the money was there. But this is just for her
medical treatment and all that.”
“I wonder why some print media will be publishing
things that are not within their knowledge or facts. Mrs Jonathan is a
law-abiding citizens and she has not done anything which is ultra vires to the
laws of the land,” he added.
By John Chuks Azu
