FCT court throws out EFCC’s alleged fraud case against ex-AGF Adoke

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT), High Court, Abuja, has dismissed the charges of fraud, bribery and conspiracy filed against former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Mohammed Bello Adoke, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The anti-graft agency had charged Adoke before the FCT High Court, on January 15, 2020, along with 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).

The former AGF was accused of collecting a gratification of N300 million from Abubakar over the OPL 245 resolution.

He was 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 person from punishment or property from forfeiture.”

He was also accused of “knowingly disobeying direction of law” by allegedly “saving Shell Nigeria Ultra-Deep Limited, Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited and Shell Nigeria Exploration Company Limited from charges of taxes.”

Adoke had denied all allegations, and maintained that he was a victim of political victimisation by former president Muhammadu Buhari on behalf of the Abacha family who felt cheated in the OPL 245 transaction.

READ ALSO: Malabu: Court to rule on Adoke’s no-case submission February 29

Justice Abubakar Kutigi of the FCT High Court, however, dismissed and acquitted Adoke of all counts.

Ruling on the “no case” submission made by Adoke, Kutigi asserted that the EFCC failed to prove its charges of fraud, bribery and money laundering, and noted that the defendant has no case to answer.

The Judge maintained that the allegation of illegal tax waivers granted to Shell and Eni was not corroborated by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) or any authority.

Ruling on the alleged N300 million bribe said to have been given to Adoke by Aliyu Abubakar, the court ruled that the EFCC did not provide the necessary evidence to prove its case.

Reports have it that Nigeria has now lost virtually all the OPL 245 cases it filed or joined in Italy, the UK and Nigeria.

Thus, this is expected to finally bring litigation over the OPL 245 saga to a close.

The EFCC had earlier admitted that it does not have enough evidence to oppose the no case application by Adoke.

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