EFCC files fresh charges against Alison-Madueke, Omokore

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has
instituted a fresh criminal charge against former Minister of
Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke, before a High Court
of the Federal Capital Territory sitting at Apo.

The ex-minister, who has remained in the United Kingdom since
she vacated office in 2015, is facing a five-count charge the
anti-graft agency entered against her and an oil mogul, identified
as her ally, Mr. Olajide Omokore.

They were charged with conspiracy and alleged complicity in
illegal act of accepting and giving gratifications.

Specifically, EFCC accused them of accepting and giving gifts of
properties described as penthouse 22, Block B, Admiralty Estate,
Ikoyi, Lagos, and penthouse 21, Building 5, Block C, Banana Island,
Lagos.

EFCC told the court that the alleged offence was contrary to
Sections 26(1) and 17 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related
Offences Act, 2000.

Arraignment

Meanwhile, the commission, yesterday, secured leave of the high
court to arraign the two defendants.

Trial Justice Valentine Ashi fixed February 25, 2019 to take
their plea.

Counsel to EFCC, Mr. Faruk Abdullahi, told the court that while
the agency was still conducting its investigations, the former
minister ran away from the country.

He said Mrs. Alison-Madueke had since refused to honour
invitation to surrender herself to the commission.

EFCC had earlier disclosed that it has initiated the process to
extradite the former minister from the UK to Nigeria to face
trial.

It will be recalled that the Federal High Court in Abuja had, on
September 20, 2017, struck out a charge that indicted the former
minister to the illegal diversion of about $1.6 billion from
proceeds of sales of petroleum products belonging to the Federal
Government.

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba struck out the allegation contained in
count eight of a money laundering charge marked
FHC/Abj/CR/121/2016, which EFCC lodged before the court.

The decision was based on the fact that though the former
minister’s name was mentioned in the charge, she was, however, not
listed as one of the defendants.

Aside from Omokore, other defendants in the case included the
former Managing Director of the Nigerian Petroleum Development
Company, NPDC, Victor Briggs; former Group Executive Director,
Exploration and Production of the NNPC, Abiye Membere; former
Manager, Planning and Commercial of NNPC, David Mbanefo.

Mrs. Alison-Madueke had shortly after the case commenced,
briefed her lawyer, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu(SAN), to approach the court
to join her as a defendant in the case.

“The applicant’s constitutional right of fair hearing is being
infringed as the trial is proceeding in her absence, in spite of
the fact that allegations of astronomical proportion were made
against her,’’ Diezani’s lawyer, Dr. Ikpeazu, argued in the
application dated August 17, 2017.

The application was, however, opposed by EFCC which accused the
ex-minister of attempting to stall the trial of her
accomplices.

EFCC told the court that the application was an attempt by the
ex-minister to escape trial in the United Kingdom where she was
granted administrative bail, pending conclusion of investigations
into corruption allegations against her.

Meanwhile, following perceived delay by the UK authorities to
prosecute the former Minister, EFCC said it would repatriate her to
Nigeria to face trial.