Alleged Malabu Oil Scam: Court Discharges ex-AGF Adoke, Others

Justice Abubakar Kutigi of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, sitting at Jabi, Abuja, on Thursday discharged a one-time Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Mohammed Adoke SAN and six other defendants standing trial for alleged infractions in Malabu Oil and Gas.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had, on behalf of the Federal Government , dragged Adoke and others before the court on the controversial Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 245, otherwise known as Malabu Oil scam, before the court.

Adoke, who served as AGF and Minister of Justice under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, was dragged before the court by EFCC in the suit, marked FCT/HC/CR/151/2020, alongside Aliyu Abubakar; Rasky Gbinigie; Malabu Oil and Gas Limited; Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited; Shell Nigeria Extra Deep Limited and Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Limited on an amended 40-count charge bordering on the controversial Malabu Oil scam.

Ruling on the no-case submission filed by the defendants after the prosecution had closed its case against them, Justice Kutigi held that the anti-graft agency had not established elements of the offences the defendants were charged with

He added that the prosecution neither called certain witnesses nor tendered to prove its case against the former AGF and other defendants.

While discharging the defendants of the charges against them, the judge commended the prosecuting counsel for admitting that the prosecution was not able to establish prima facie case against the defendants.

He, however, lamented that it took the prosecution four years before it realised this fact.