Court acquits Diezani ally, Omokore, on $1.6bn fraud charges

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, discharged and acquitted the Chairman of Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria Limited, Jide Omokore, on the alleged $ 1.6 billion fraud charges.

The judge, however, convicted Omokore’s co-defendants, Victor Briggs and Abiye Membere for receiving car gifts from the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, an offence contrary to Section 98 of the Criminal Code Act.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Omokore, an ally of the ex-minister, and the two other defendants on a 15-count charge of fraud on July 4, 2016.

The commission alleged that the defendants fraudulently diverted $1.6 dollars suspected to be part of the proceeds of sales of petroleum products belonging to the Federal Government.

In his ruling, Justice Dimgba held that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt against Omokore.

He added that the prosecution failed to establish the offence of obtaining by false pretence, conspiracy, fraud, and conversion leveled against the defendant.

He, thereafter, discharged and acquitted him.

The judge, however, found Briggs and Membere guilty of official corruption under Section 98 of the Criminal Code Act and convicted them on the same.

Dimgba said the two men collected car gifts which they admitted to in their extrajudicial statements.

The judge stressed that being public officials, he was satisfied that the manner in which they received the car gifts was unethical.

He ordered that the convicts be remanded in EFCC custody pending their sentencing on Wednesday.

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