P&ID scam: EFCC demands ex-petroleum ministry director, Tiaga’s death certificate

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday demanded that the death certificate of a former director of legal services at the ministry of petroleum resources, Grace Tiaga, be produced in court.

The commission arraigned Taiga at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court for alleged bribery in the controversial Gas Supply Processing Agreement (GSPA) between Process and Industrial Development (P&ID) and the Federal Government.

She was arraigned on an amended 13-count charge of bribery, among others.

The EFCC alleged that Taiga received bribe through her offshore bank account in signing the controversial GPSA.

The commission further claimed that the defendant violated various laws by agreeing without prior approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and a certificate of no objection to the contract from the Bureau of Public Enterprise (PBE).

She, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The deceased was first arraigned on an eight-court charge of bribery on September 20, 2019.

The EFCC first amended the charge against the defendant on October 3, 2020 to 11-count and further amended it to 13-count charge on January 10, 2021.

The prosecution called eight witnesses to testify against the defendant and closed its case on February 27, 2023.

The court, thereafter, directed the defendant to open her defence.

At the hearing of the case on November 4, 2023, however, counsel for Taiga, Daniel Alumun, informed the court that the defendant died at a hospital in Abuja on August 1, 2023.

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Alumun tendered a letter titled: “Hospital Death Declaration” from Primus International Super Speciality Hospital, Karu New Extension, Abuja, to notify the court of the former director’s demise.

The counsel urged the court to dismiss the charge because of the unfortunate development.

However, the EFCC counsel, Mohammed Hussain, asked the defence counsel to produce the death certificate before the court could dismiss the case.

Justice Olukayode Adeniyi then directed that a death certificate be produced before the court.

He then adjourned the case till Wednesday for compliance with the law by the defence.

When the matter came up on Wednesday, defence counsel told the court that the death certificate was not ready.

He urged the court to give him more time to get it.

The EFCC counsel insisted that the certificate must be brought to the court as stipulated by the law before decision can be taken.

Justice Adeniyi adjourned the matter till March 6 for further report on the death certificate.

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