$1.1bn Malabu Deal: Court Stops Adoke’s Trial

A Federal High Court in Abuja has stopped further prosecution of former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister for Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) over alleged fraud in the Malabu oil deal.

Justice Murtala Nyako yesterday ruled that Adoke’s involvement in the Malabu deal over the OPL 245 was in furtherance of lawful directives and approvals of former President Goodluck Jonathan in the exercise of his presidential powers as enshrined in the Constitution.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on December 20, 2016, filed nine count charges against Adoke, former Petroleum Minister, Dan Etete, and businessman, Aliyu Abubakar over allegations of diversion of $1.1 billion proceeds of the deal from an escrow account to private companies.

The companies are: Malabu Oil and Gas Limited, Rocky Top Resources Limited, Imperial Union Limited, Novel Properties and Development Limited, Group Construction Limited and Mega Tech Engineering Limited.

But Adoke had approached the court in the enforcement of his fundamental rights against the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN) through his counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN) contending that he acted in furtherance of presidential powers contained in Section 5(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

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