Alleged $1.2b Malabu Oil fraud: Court admits Adoke, others to bail

An FCT High Court in Gwagwalada, on Thursday, admitted former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Mohammed Adoke, and two others to bail with the sum of N50 million each.

Justice Abubakar Kutigi, granted Adoke and six others bail, after arguments from lawyers in the criminal case filed against the defendants by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The six other defendants are Aliyu Abubakar, Rasky Gbinigie, Malabu Oil and Gas Limited, Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited, Shell Nigeria Ultra Deep limited and Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Limited

At the hearing of the various bail applications, defence lawyers Mike Ozekhome, SAN, for the first defendant; Wole Olanipekun, SAN, for the second defendant and Mahmud Magaji, SAN, for the third defendant, prayed the court to grant their clients bail.

Kutigi in his ruling granted the first defendant (Adoke) and the second defendant (Abubakar) bail with the sum of N50 million each, while the third defendant (Gbinigie) was granted bail in the sum of N30 million.

The bail conditions also include one reasonable surety each, who must have a landed property in Abuja and must show evidence of three years tax clearance.

Kutigi ordered Adoke to submit his International passport to the Court’s Registrar.

He adjourned the case untill March 26 and March 27 for hearing.

However, Adoke’s lawyer, Ozekhome, thanked the Court for granting bail to his client, adding that the ruling was ”a victory to Judiciary”.

”We have filed two critical documents to show that the defendant will not jump bail and based on his health condition.

”We are very happy with the court ruling today because the bail condition is carrying a human face,” Ozekhome said.

It was also reported that the EFCC filed criminal charges against Adoke over his alleged indictment in the Oil Propective Licence (OPL) 245.

The former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice was on self-exile for four years when the charges were slammed on him by the Federal Government.

The anti-graft agency accused the former justice minister of fraudulently allocating OPL 245.

The former justice minister was arrested on Dec.19 by the EFCC on arrival to the country and has been in its custody since then.