Malabu oil scam: Court releases former AGF Adoke and others
Former Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, Mohammed Bello Adoke, after the Federal Capital Territory FCT High Court on Thursday dismissed the charges filed over the controversial Oil Exploration License OPL No. 245, also known as the “Oil Exploration License”. Six people were released. Malabu oil scam.
DAILY POST reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dragged Mr. Adoku and other defendants to court on 40 amended charges bordering on violation of directions of law, giving and receiving solatium, conspiracy, forgery, etc. I remember that.
Mr Adoku, who served as AGF and Minister of Justice under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, was indicted by the EFCC in a case marked FCT/HC/CR/151/2020.
The other defendants are Mr. Aliyu Abubakar, Mr. Lasky Gbinigi, Malabu Oil and Gas Limited, Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited, Shell Nigeria Extra Deep Limited, and Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Limited.
Justice Abubakar Kutigi ruled against the defendants' submission of no case, stating that while any trial process is evidence-driven, prosecutors may not be able to submit certain documents or file a single case to prove their case. The court held that the department did not call any witnesses.
He further argued that prosecutors have failed to prove in court key elements of the crimes with which the defendants are charged.
According to the Constitution, the defendants are presumed innocent, but in order to establish a prima facie case against them, the prosecution must submit enough evidence to ask the court to open their defense. It was necessary.
Judge Kutigi ruled that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against the defendant in this case.
He cited a situation in which there were forgeries in about three counts, but the prosecution did not submit relevant documents as evidence.
The judge also ruled that no charges could be brought for the purpose of prosecution, saying frivolous charges would damage the justice system.
He praised the prosecuting attorney for accepting in his final written address that the prosecution had no case against the defendant.
However, Judge Kutigi lamented that it took four years for prosecutors to realize this.
“The defendants should not have been indicted in the first instance.
“This is due to the prosecution's failure to present the minimum amount of evidence in court for the court to order the defendant to mount a defense,” he said.
Source: dailypost.ng