The FCT High Court in Jabi, Abuja, on Thursday dismissed the charges of fraud, bribery, and conspiracy filed against a former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke (SAN), by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Judge Abubakar Kutigi rejected Adoke’s no-case submission, ruling that the EFCC had not proven its charges of fraud, bribery, and money laundering and that the defendant had no case to answer.
He discharged and acquitted the former minister on all counts.
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and other authorities did not corroborate the judge’s allegation of illegal tax waivers granted to Shell and Eni.
Persecondnews recalls that the anti-graft agency had charged Adoke before the FCT High Court, Abuja, on January 15, 2020, along with Mr. Aliyu Abubakar, Gbinije of Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd, Nigeria Agip Exploration Ltd, Shell Ultra Deep Nigeria Ltd, and Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Ltd (SNEPCo).
Abubakar denied receiving a gratification of N300 million from the former AGF over the OPL 245 resolution.
He was also accused of conspiring with other defendants to “commit the offence of public servant disobeying direction of law with intent to cause injury or to save a person from punishment or property from forfeiture.”
The court ruled that the EFCC did not provide the necessary evidence to prove its case in relation to the alleged N300 million bribe that Aliyu Abubakar allegedly gave to Adoke.
The judge, who noted that the charge was not well drafted and prosecuted, asked the prosecuting counsel to refrain from filing such a charge in the future.
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