Court clears former minister of fraud charges

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja cleared former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke of involvement in a fraud case involving her associate Jide Omokore.

In the court proceeding that took place on Wednesday, September 20, 2017, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba struck out the motion to name the the former minister in the fraud case that involves the sum of $1.6 billion.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had mentioned the former minister's name in the eighth count without adding her as defendant in the nine-count fraud charges, but she filed an application arguing that the agency did not give her an opportunity to defend herself. The court considered this to mean that she was not given a fair hearing and dismissed the count.

In the eighth count, she was accused of aiding Omokore in the commission of money laundering offence contrary to Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended), and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.

The EFCC instituted the charges of criminal diversion of about $1.6 billion alleged to be part of proceeds of sales of petroleum products belonging to the Federal Government.

Alongside two companies linked to him namely the Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Limited, Omokore is facing trial with former managing director of the Nigeria Petroleum Development Corporation (NPDC), Victor Briggs; former Group Executive Director, Exploration and Production of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Abiye Membere; and former Manager, Planning and Commercial of the NNPC, David Mbanefo.

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In August, demonstrators of the 'Our Mumu Don Do' movement staged a two-day sit-out protest at the Abuja head office of the EFCC to demand the extradition of Diezani who has been linked to a slew of corruption cases.

The agency has obtained court rulings that have ordered the seizure of properties and funds linked to the former minister over the past few months.

However, despite the mountain of allegations against her, she has holed up in , where she is also facing prosecution for alleged bribery, corruption and money laundering.