The Justice and Equity Forum (JEF) has appealed to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to withdraw its case against former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke in the light of new revelations at the ongoing OPL 245/Malabu trials in Milan, Italy.
The co-conveners, Idris Kainji and Adebowale Peters, on behalf of the civil rights organisation, in a statement, lamented the money laundering case filed against Adoke at the Federal High Court, Abuja, by the EFCC
“There is not a single mention of OPL 245 and Malabu in the court papers and this must be considered curious under any circumstance”.
The forum however, commended the EFCC chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, for the progress Nigeria had recorded in the anti-graft war under his watch.
However, it said Magu like all human beings, is not perfect and should be supported and encouraged by all Nigerians in discharging his duties no matter whose ox is gored.
“On Wednesday, the 17th of July, in Milan, Italy, Mr. Vincenzo Armanna, the former ENI manager who is standing trial over the Malabu scandal, told the court that Adoke warned ENI officials against discussing kickbacks and threatened them with arrest. This is the same Adoke that is being accused of collecting kickback from the deal. That doesn’t add up at all,” the group said.
“We also note that on Thursday, 27th of June, Mr. Ednan Tofik ogly Agaev, a former Russian diplomat who is also being tried over the scandal, told the Italian court that he was pressured under interrogation by the FBI to mention Adoke’s name as one of the recipients of the bribes reportedly paid to government officials in the deal. In fact, Agaev refused to adopt the FBI interview in court because, according to him, he did not mean for it to be used. He effectively confessed making a false accusation against Adoke. In a court of law, this will certainly kill the case except there is anything else to it.
“We at the Justice and Equity Forum thereafter applied for and got a certified true copy of court papers in the case filed against Adoke by the EFCC at the Federal High Court in Abuja alleging money laundering. We went through the charges line by line and to our utmost surprise, nowhere did the EFCC mention that Adoke collected bribe’’, the group said.