The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission will
on July 4 arraign before a Federal High Court, Abuja, Mr. Jide Omokore, an ally
of a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
The EFCC has already filed four counts of money
laundering against a former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation, Andrew Yakubu; ex-Director of the NNPC, Abiye Memnere;
ex-Managing Director, Nigerian Petroleum Development Company Limited, Victor
Briggs; and oil mogul David Mbanefo.
Other two firms charged along with them are
Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts
Limited.
The accused were
scheduled to appear before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in
Abuja on Monday.
The lead prosecuting
counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), was present in court but all the accused were
absent.
But Jacobs and some
lawyers who had already been briefed by the accused were present in court.
The reason for the
accused persons’ absence from court on Monday could not be ascertained as the
trial was not mentioned in the open court.
The prosecuting and
defence lawyers later collectively met with the judge in her chambers.
It was learnt that
parties agreed with the judge to fix the arraignment for July 4 during the
meeting in her chambers.
One of our correspondents
also learnt on Monday that the prosecution might amend the charges before the
date of arraignment.
Omokore, who is an ally
of former President Goodluck Jonathan, is the Chairman of Atlantic Energy
Drilling Concepts Nigeria Limited. His firm was one of the companies that
allegedly received multi-billion dollar worth of public assets without due
process from the Jonathan administration in 2011.
The company, which was
created in 2010, was said to have not produced any oil when it was curiously
awarded controlling stakes in two lucrative oil blocks — OML 30 and 34 — for
just over $50m each.
The deal, which was
signed by Diezani, gave Atlantic Energy Limited a controlling 55 per cent stake
in the oil block.
However, Shell, which
owned the remaining 45 per cent stake, was said to have fetched $1.3bn for a
single field after an open and competitive bidding process.
The company was also
accused of lifting crude oil, but only remitting a fraction of its worth to the
government.
For instance, in
2014, Atlantic Energy reportedly paid no money into the government’s coffers
but lifted about 500,000 barrels of crude oil, valued at $54m.
...punch
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