Malabu Case: Adoke Wants Nigeria’s Lawyer Debriefed over Alleged Falsehoods in Italian Court - Uju Ayalogu's Blog for News, Reviews, Articles and More

Breaking News

Post Top Ad

Friday 11 September 2020

Malabu Case: Adoke Wants Nigeria’s Lawyer Debriefed over Alleged Falsehoods in Italian Court

Malabu Case: Adoke Wants Nigeria’s Lawyer Debriefed over Alleged Falsehoods in Italian Court

A former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN), has called on the federal government to debrief its counsel in the ongoing hearing of corruption allegations surrounding the sale of Oil Prospecting Licence (245), otherwise known as Malabu Oil, by a Milan Court in Italy.

Adoke premised the call on what he described as “deliberate and malicious falsehoods”, the lawyer, Mr. Lucio Lucia has continued to present before the Milan Court in arguing the case of the federal government.

READ ALSO:   DSS invites Mailafia a third time over Boko Haram sponsor claim

Adoke’s grouse was that despite being given a clean bill of health in the Malabu debacle, by competent court in Nigeria as well as the federal government, Nigeria’s lawyer in the suit in Italy has continued to rope him in and paint him as corrupt.

Shell, Eni and some individuals are currently facing trial at the Milan Court in Italy over their alleged complicity in the OPL 245 transaction.

Although Adoke, who is not a party in the ongoing trial in a statement made available to journalists, said he has been following the proceedings “with keen interest to ensure that no adverse findings of criminal misconduct are made against my person”.

Further rationalising grounds for the sack of Lucia, the former AGF said, the counsel in his submission before the Court on September 9, 2020, while representing the interest of the federal government as the injured party entitled to civil compensation, had allegedly “reaffirmed the indictment of Mr. Adoke and others in the heist” in connection with the OPL 245 Resolution Agreement.

“Let me reiterate for the umpteenth time that my official role as Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice in the implementation of OPL 245 Settlement Agreement has been the subject of judicial pronouncement by the Federal High Court, Abuja, presided over by Justice BFN Nyako”.

Justice Nyako amongst other things had held that, “The plaintiff cannot be held personally liable for carrying out the lawful/approvals of the President while he served as a Minister of the Government of the Federation.”

Adoke further stated that two cabinet ministers in the present administration, the present Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, (SAN) and former Minister of State, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu had at different times reviewed the OPL 245 Resolution Agreements and exonerated him of any wrong doing.

Kachikwu had “in his letter to the Chief of Staff to the President, dated December 13, 2017, came to the reasoned conclusion that the agreements were in the national interest”.

“In the light of the above, it is clear that Mr. Lucio Lucia cannot assert on behalf of the same Federal Government of Nigeria a position that is contrary to the unassailable declarations in the subsisting judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, and the views already expressed by the sitting Attorney-General of the Federation and the former Minister of State, Ministry of Petroleum Resources”, he stated.

Adoke further claimed that Lucia also lied to the court that he was extradited from Dubai for corruption related to OPL 245, knowing fully that nothing of sort ever happened.

“Mr. Lucio Lucia, with defamatory audacity, also carelessly reconstructed the evidence on my Mortgage transaction with Unity Bank to suit his narrative. This is a subject of criminal proceedings in Nigeria and, for now, I will not be able to comment against the twisting and manipulation of the facts of the failed mortgage transaction because it will be subjudicial.

“Finally, while I am not adverse to the federal government’s claims before the Milan Court, I am concerned that Mr. Lucio Lucia has been allowed to present to the Court deliberate false statements against me in support of federal government’s case.

I am still in possession of copies of letters by Mr. Abubakar Malami, (SAN), the Attorney General of the Federation, and Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, in his capacity as the Hon. Minister of State, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, clearing me of any misconduct or misdeed in the OPL 245 transaction.

“There is also a subsisting court judgment that cleared me of any personal liability in carrying out a presidential order.

“I, therefore, call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to debrief Mr. Lucio Lucia for his embarrassing conduct, deliberate falsehood and dishonesty in a court of law”, he said.

READ ALSO:   Man caught with 2,886 ATM cards hidden in packs of noodles at Lagos airport

Are you an artiste? Do you want your music to go viral and reach a large number of audience? Promote your music and Submit your story on Ujuayalogusblog.com by clicking here. For Advert Inquiries Tel/+44(0)7590363984

For More:   Subscribe to Ujuayalogusblog.com

Subscribe to Our Posts via Email


Share This

No comments:

Post a Comment

Listen to This Beautiful New Talent - Winter Wolf - Singing "Midnight"


Post Bottom Ad

Pages