Order AGF to convey me dorsum to Nigeria to seem upwardly lawsuit - Diezani tells court

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A one-time Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, has urged the Federal High Court inwards Lagos to compel the Attorney General of the Federation to convey her dorsum to Nigeria from the United Kingdom, where she travelled to soon afterward leaving component subdivision inwards 2015.

She said she would similar to look inwards courtroom inwards Nigeria to defend a criminal accuse bordering on alleged laundering of N450m, where her hollo was mentioned.

The principal defendants inwards the accuse are a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Dele Belgore; together with a one-time Minister of National Planning, Prof. Abubakar Suleiman.

Belgore together with Suleiman were charged earlier Justice Rilwan Aikawa for allegedly collecting N450m from Diezani together with laundering same inwards the build-up to the 2015 full general elections.

The Economic together with Financial Crimes Commission, which filed the charges, claimed that the N450m was component subdivision of a amount of $115m which Diezani allegedly doled out to compromise the 2015 full general elections.

The SAN together with the professor were arraigned on v counts, wherein Diezani’s hollo was mentioned, simply she was declared every bit beingness “at large.”

At the resumed proceedings inwards the illustration on Tuesday, ane Obinna Onya, a lawyer from Abuja, appeared earlier Justice Aikawa amongst an application seeking the joining of Diezani every bit ane of the defendants inwards the charge.

The application, filed pursuant to Section 36(1),(5),(6 (a)-(e) of the Constitution together with sections 216 (1) (2) (3) (4); together with 217 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, sought an amendment to the charges against Belgore together with Suleiman, then every bit to bring together Diezani every bit ane of the defendants.

The lawyer contended that opposite to the proclamation past times the EFCC that Diezani was at large, the one-time government minister was inwards the UK together with was willing to furnish to Nigeria then that she could look inwards courtroom to select her plea together with defend the charges.

The lawyer argued that since Diezani’s hollo had been mentioned inwards the charge, it would last against her correct to fair hearing for the illustration to maintain without affording her the chance to defend herself.

“The disceptation made past times the prosecution way that the applicant (Diezani) is going to last convicted without beingness given the chance to defend herself,” Onya told Justice Aikawa.

The application prayed for an gild “mandating the Attorney General of the Federation, beingness the agent of the complainant, to facilitate the prompt appearance of the applicant inwards courtroom on the side past times side adjourned date, to select her plea together with to defend the allegations made against her inwards counts 1, 2,3 together with four of the charge, numbered FHC/L/35c/2017.”

Onya urged Justice Aikawa to hear together with stimulate upwards one's remove heed the application earlier proceeding amongst the illustration on Tuesday.

But the prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, opposed him, proverb the application was non ripe for hearing, every bit he had nevertheless to last served.

However, Onya told the courtroom that he had attempted to serve Oyedepo on Tuesday morn on the courtroom premises simply that the prosecutor declined, adding that his crusade to serve the application at the EFCC component subdivision on Fri was every bit good frustrated.

But Oyedepo advised him to become together with serve the application at the registry of the EFCC, assuring him that the application would last accepted.

Responding, Justice Aikawa said the courtroom could non entertain the application until all the parties had been properly served.

Meanwhile, the case proceeded amongst the minute witness for the EFCC, Usman Zakari, continuing his testimony.

Through the witness, Oyedepo tendered 2 letters written to the EFCC inwards relation to the illustration Standard Charted Bank Nigeria Limited together with Guaranty Trust Bank.

The courtroom admitted the 2 letters every bit exhibits inwards prove against the defendants.

However, Oyedepo’s endeavour to tender a trail of electronic postal service communication betwixt Diezani together with the Managing Director of Fidelity Bank was resisted past times the defense forcefulness counsel, Mr. Ebun Shofunde (SAN) together with Olatunji Ayanlaja (SAN).

They contended that the document was non admissible as, according to them, it did non run across the requirement of the Evidence Act.

Oyedepo sought an adjournment to counter the objection past times the defence.

Justice Aikawa adjourned till Wednesday, Oct four for continuation of trial.

In the charges, Sulaiman, a professor of Political Science together with International Relations at the University of Abuja; together with Belgore, a one-time governorship aspirant inwards Kwara State, were accused of conspiring betwixt themselves to commit the offence on March 27, 2015.

The duo were accused of making a cash transaction of N450m on March 27, 2015, without going through whatsoever fiscal institution.

But they pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.

PUNCH

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