The former first lady of Nigeria, Patience Jonathan has alleged that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) hired mercenaries to implicate her.
Mrs. Jonathan said the anti-graft agency is plotting to take her hard earned money, adding that those who pleaded guilty to the fraud allegations were not authorised by the companies.
This is coming as four companies accused of allegedly laundering $15m for the former first lady, pleaded guilty.
A statement issued by her media aide, Chima Osuji, reads: “This is a clear evidence of the desperation of the prosecution to pull down the former First Lady and confiscate her hard-earned money.
“It is an irony that it was the former First Lady who went to court for the repatriation of her confiscated money when she realised that the EFCC and its co-travellers were playing politics with this issue after she had come out publicly to say that the said money belongs to her and that she has all evidence to prove the sources of her money. Up till this very moment, the EFCC has refused to interrogate or invite her for questioning.
“The biggest twist in court on Thursday was that the fourth to seventh defendants pleaded guilty to all the 15 counts. It is clear that these unknown faces were agents of the EFCC, who have been stage-managed and tutored to come to court to complicate the case as a strategy to confiscate her money.”
Mrs. Jonathan had earlier asked the EFCC to lift the restrictions on her bank account, so she can take her $31.4m.
She said the money was for her medical bills and other expenses.
There are reports that the former first lady might sue the EFCC for freezing her bank accounts
