Dame Patient Jonathan in Another Fresh Case Over $15.5m Scandal

Detectives have stepped up the probe of
former First Lady Mrs. Patience Jonathan by
retrieving her service records from the
Government of Bayelsa State.

The retrieval of her records is part of the
screening of her salary and emoluments as a
retired permanent secretary to determine
whether her earnings could match the 13
assets traced to her.
Besides the assets, the former First Lady is
laying claim to $15.5m in some domiciliary
accounts.
The anti-graft agency has written the Rivers
State Ministry of Lands and Survey for details
on some assets linked with the former First
Lady and a former Minister of Petroleum
Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, in
Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
But officials have blocked access to the
documents.
Some of the officials may be investigated for
obstructing justice, a source said last night.
It was unclear yesterday whether or not the
said officials were acting on orders.
A source close to the investigation said there
was no where in the records where the ex-
First Lady earned foreign exchange as
emoluments and estacodes amounting to over
$15.5million she is claiming to own.
An EFCC source said: “This agency has
retrieved the original service records of the ex-
First Lady from Bayelsa State. Preliminary
analysis of her records revealed a lot of
discrepancies including issues regarding
special promotions given to her which were
faulted even by the Office of the Head of
Service.
“More importantly, from her records, especially
her pay packet of N700, 000, there is nowhere
she earned as much as $1million not to talk
of over $15million, which she is claiming
ownership of.
“We have to go through her records and pay
slips to prove that the $15million in question
was undeserved and should be seized by the
court. All her official estacodes and
emoluments were not up to the amount being
claimed.
“As far as we are concerned, she has
questions to answer in line with Section 7 of
the EFCC Act.”
Section 7 of the EFCC Act says: “The
commission has power to (a) cause any
investigations to be conducted as to whether
any person, corporate body or organisation
has committed any offence under this Act or
other law relating to economic and financial
crimes.
“(b) Cause investigations to be conducted into
the properties of any person if it appears to
the commission that the person’s lifestyle and
extent of the properties are not justified by his
source of income.”
It was also discovered that although she
retired on October 15, 2014, the voluntary
retirement was approved on 12th May, 2015.
But detectives are trying to analyse her pay
slip to know if she received salaries for eight
months after her notice of voluntary
retirement.’
“If she did receive salaries within the eight-
month period without any refund, she might be
liable for another offence. A letter
acknowledging her voluntary retirement was
specific that any extra salary after notice of
retirement ought to be paid,” the source said.
A 12th May, 2015 letter signed by Mrs.
Biobelemoye Charles-Onyema, the Permanent
Secretary of the Civil Service Commission,
confirmed the acceptance of the retirement of
the ex-First Lady.
The letter from the Bayelsa State Civil Service
Commission to the ex-First Lady said in part:
“I am directed to refer to Establishment
Circular No. 7/1999 of 5th October, 1999 and
to inform you that the Civil Service
Commission at a meeting held on 12th May,
2015 approved your voluntary retirement from
the Bayelsa State Civil Service as a Permanent
Secretary (Consolidated Salary with effect
from 15th October 2014.
“I am further directed to inform you to
handover all government properties in your
possession to the most senior director in your
ministry and report to the Permanent
Secretary, Establishment, Training and
pensions Bureau, Governor’s Office, Yenagoa
with your appointment papers and other
relevant documents for processing of your
retirement benefits.
“Any salary earned after 15th October 2014
will be deducted from your gratuity.”
Meanwhile, the anti-graft agency has written
the Rivers State Ministry of Lands and Survey
for details on some assets linked with the
former First Lady in Port Harcourt.
But the ministry’s officials were said to have
blocked access to the relevant documents by
the EFCC.
Of 13 properties allegedly linked with the ex-
First Lady, eight are said to be in Port
Harcourt.
The assets in Port Harcourt are former
Customs Service officers mess; two duplexes
on 2/3 Bauchi Street; landed property with
blocks at Ambowei Street; three Luxury
apartments of four bedroom each at Ambowei
Street; and Grand View Hotel on Airport
Road.
The assets in Yenagoa include two marble
duplexes at Otioko GRA by Isaac Boro
Expressway; Glass House on Sani Abacha
Expressway, which is housing Nigerian
Content Development and Monitoring Board;
Akemfa Etie Plaza by AP filling Station, Melford
Okilo Road; and Aridolf Resort, Wellness and
Spa on Sani Abacha Expressway.
Another top EFCC source, who spoke in
confidence, said: “We have officially written
the Ministry of Lands and Survey for details on
some of the assets of the ex-First Lady and a
former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs.
Diezani Alison-Madueke in Port Harcourt but
they have not been forthcoming.
“Up till now, they have not made relevant
documents available to the EFCC. It is a kind
of blocking of access to these land titles
which are vital to our investigation. We don’t
know whether or not they are acting on orders
from above.
“We are hopeful that the officials will
cooperate with us. But it is certainly a
punishable offence to obstruct investigation
by EFCC and other anti-crime agencies.”