I didn’t know Patience Jonathan was perm sec – Dudafa

A former Special Assistant to former President Goodluck
Jonathan, Dr. Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, said on Monday he was not aware
that former First Lady, Dame Patience, was a one-time permanent
secretary in Bayelsa State.

He was testifying during hearing in Mrs. Jonathan’s suit before
Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos.

The ex- First Lady was seeking to unfreeze her accounts with
$15.5million.

Counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),
Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, asked Dudafa during cross examination to
confirm that Mrs. Jonathan was appointed as a permanent secretary
in Bayelsa State on June 22, 2012.

The witness said: “The appointment was not within my purview, so
I don’t know anything about that.”

Asked if he was aware that Mrs. Jonathan’s appointment was
confirmed on July 23, 2012, Dudada said: “I don’t know.”

EFCC then showed Dudafa Mrs. Jonathan’s letters of appointment
and confirmation, and asked him to identify them.

The witness added: “I have not gone through the documents as I
had no prior knowledge of them. But on the surface, they’re
addressed to Mrs. Jonathan.”

Oyedepo and Dudafa engaged in a long game of hide and seek when
the EFCC counsel asked if the witness deposed to his affidavit “on
behalf of the plaintiff.”

Dudafa replied: “I deposed to my affidavit as a witness.”

Oyedepo repeated the same questions for over five times and the
witness kept giving the same responses.

At a point, the ex-presidential aide said: “I have answered the
question. I will not be cajoled. I don’t know if my statement was
on behalf of anybody.”

The EFCC lawyer urged Justice Idris to warn the witness to mind
his language as he could not claim to be “cajoled” under cross
examination.

After Mrs. Jonathan’s lawyer, Chief Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN),
apologised on Dudafa’s behalf, the witness was shown a written
statement on oath in which he stated that he deposed it on the
plaintiff’s behalf.

Oyedepo asked the witness again: “You’re here again on behalf of
the plaintiff.” Dudafa responded: “I am here as a witness of the
plaintiff. The plaintiff invited me here as a witness.”

A former Special Assistant to former President Goodluck
Jonathan, Dr. Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, said on Monday he was not aware
that former First Lady, Dame Patience, was a one-time permanent
secretary in Bayelsa State.

He was testifying during hearing in Mrs. Jonathan’s suit before
Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos.

The ex- First Lady was seeking to unfreeze her accounts with
$15.5million.

Counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),
Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, asked Dudafa during cross examination to
confirm that Mrs. Jonathan was appointed as a permanent secretary
in Bayelsa State on June 22, 2012.

The witness said: “The appointment was not within my purview, so
I don’t know anything about that.”

Asked if he was aware that Mrs. Jonathan’s appointment was
confirmed on July 23, 2012, Dudada said: “I don’t know.”

EFCC then showed Dudafa Mrs. Jonathan’s letters of appointment
and confirmation, and asked him to identify them.

The witness added: “I have not gone through the documents as I
had no prior knowledge of them. But on the surface, they’re
addressed to Mrs. Jonathan.”

Oyedepo and Dudafa engaged in a long game of hide and seek when
the EFCC counsel asked if the witness deposed to his affidavit “on
behalf of the plaintiff.”

Dudafa replied: “I deposed to my affidavit as a witness.”

Oyedepo repeated the same questions for over five times and the
witness kept giving the same responses.

At a point, the ex-presidential aide said: “I have answered the
question. I will not be cajoled. I don’t know if my statement was
on behalf of anybody.”

The EFCC lawyer urged Justice Idris to warn the witness to mind
his language as he could not claim to be “cajoled” under cross
examination.

After Mrs. Jonathan’s lawyer, Chief Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN),
apologised on Dudafa’s behalf, the witness was shown a written
statement on oath in which he stated that he deposed it on the
plaintiff’s behalf.

Oyedepo asked the witness again: “You’re here again on behalf of
the plaintiff.” Dudafa responded: “I am here as a witness of the
plaintiff. The plaintiff invited me here as a witness.”