$15.5m: “I Only Acted On Jonathan, Wife’s Instructions”, Dudafa Tells Court

$15.5m: “I Only Acted On Jonathan, Wife’s Instructions”, Dudafa Tells Court

The Domestic Affairs aide, to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa on Tuesday told a Federal High Court in Lagos that all the actions he took while in office were based on instructions handed down to him by the former President and his wife, Mrs. Patience Jonathan.

Dudafa said this while testifying in a suit filed by the former first lady, seeking to vacate a no debit order placed on her account containing $15.5 million at Skye bank Plc.

He claimed that he had no power to issue instructions to anyone while in the villa apart from those that were given to him by the former first family.
Mrs. Jonathan had named the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Skye Bank, Dudafa and four companies as respondents in the suit.

The companies are: Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Ltd, Transocean Property and Investment Company Ltd and Globus Integrated Service Ltd.

While being cross-examined by EFCC’s lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, the former president’s aide, said that his instructions to two presidential stewards, Festus Iyoha and Peter Avirim, to take dollars to a Bureau De Change (BDC) operator, Abubakar Murtala, for conversion to local currencies, were consequent upon a directive from his boss.

He said: “I know Festus Iyoha and Peter Avirim. They are presidential stewards attached to the president. Several times, the former president and his wife gave me dollars to Festus, Peter and others to change to Naira.

“I was the Special Assistant to the president on Domestic Affairs and I received instructions from my boss. I never had powers to give instructions but I can relay instructions to aides in the presidency including Festus and Peter.

“I relayed instructions from the former president and his wife to the aides.

Several instructions were given including the one involving money but they were all relayed on behalf of the former president and his wife. I was the only one that had access to the bedroom of the former president and if he gave me instructions, I had to carry it out. The physical handing over of the money was done by me though I was relaying an instruction”.

Dudafa also told the court that he is not aware that Mrs. Jonathan was a permanent secretary with the Bayelsa state government while he was serving in the presidency.

“I was appointed as an aide to the former president sometimes in February 2012. As at when I was appointed, the then first lady was not a permanent secretary. I am not aware she was confirmed as a permanent secretary on July 20, 2012 and I don’t know that she was still drawing salary as a permanent secretary as at May 12, 2015. At no time was it brought to my knowledge that the plaintiff was a permanent secretary”, he said.

The witness had earlier adopted a written deposition that was filed on his behalf by the plaintiff’s lawyer, Granville Abibo (SAN) on July 7, 2017. He urged the court to accept everything in the deposition.

The trial judge, Justice Mohammed Idris adjourned further hearing in the matter to March 26.