Court set to arraign Diezani on October 3

A federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday said it will arraign the former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke on October 3.

According to the court, the arraignment will be on five counts bordering on conspiracy and illegal act of accepting and giving gratifications.

It was gathered that the court had approved the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) permission to arraign Alison-Madueke, former Chairman of Atlantic Energy Drilling Company, Olajide Omokore, on five counts on February 25.

The date was fixed following the absence of Justice Valentine Ashi, the trial judge who was on another official engagement.

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Mr Faruk Abdullahi, Counsel to the EFCC had informed the court on February 25, that the arraignment would not be possible due to the fact Alison-Madueke and her co-accused were absent from the court

He narrated that the EFCC had forwarded a request to the Attorney-General of the Federation for onward commencement of Alison-Madueke’s repatriation process from the United Kingdom, adding that the absence of the second defendant, (Omokore) was linked to the commission’s inability to serve him with the court’s processes.

The prosecutor, therefore, prayed the court for a further adjournment to enable the team to tidy up its house.

Meanwhile, counsel to Omokore, Mr Adeniyi Adegbonmire, SAN, said his client was available for the trial provided the due process will be followed.

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