The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has debunked as false, news making the rounds that one of its prosecutors was offered a bribe over the Malabu OPL 245 fraud case leading to the dismissal of the charges against a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Bello Adoke and others.

The anti-corruption agency however disclosed that it has commenced a review of developments around the Malabu OPL 245 fraud case, including the dismissal of the charges against Bello Adoke and others by a Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting at Abuja.

The review, the EFCC hinted, will entail exploration of the option of appeal and possible change of counsel in view of the Commission’s dissatisfaction with the handling of the case by its counsel, Mr. Offem Uket.

Speaking on the alleged bribing of its official, the EFCC said its intention to review or appeal the case “has no nexus whatsoever to the spew of speculations imputing compromise by parties to the charge, currently making the rounds in some sections of the media.”

CITY LAWYER recalls that after the decision of the Abuja High Court upholding the no-case submission of the defendants in the criminal case, an online news outfit had reported that the EFCC accused its prosecutor of compromise by prominent lawyers connected to the case.

In denying the narrative of compromise, the anti-corruption agency said that the “EFCC is not obliged to embrace such narratives as it neither accused any of the parties of any unsavoury conduct nor made any conclusive statements about any investigation on the matter.”

The agency also dubbed allegations of compromise as “effusions of mischief makers” and urged the general public to await its next line of action.

The clarification by the anti-graft agency was made through a statement issued recently.

Below is the full text of the statement.

EFCC’S POSITION ON MALABU OIL FRAUD CASE AND ASSOCIATED ISSUES

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has commenced a review of developments around the Malabu OPL 245 fraud case, including the dismissal of the charges against a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Bello Adoke by a Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja and the conduct of the prosecuting counsel, Offem Uket.

The review will entail exploration of the option of appeal and possible change of counsel in view of the Commission’s dissatisfaction with the handling of the case by Uket.

Nevertheless, this intention has no nexus whatsoever to the spew of speculations imputing compromise by parties to the charge, currently making the rounds in some sections of the media .

EFCC is not obliged to embrace such narratives as it neither accused any of the parties of any unsavoury conduct nor made any conclusive statements about any investigation on the matter.

The public is enjoined to ignore effusions of mischief makers on the matter and await the next course of actions.

Media & Publicity
April 5, 2024

To join our CITY LAWYER platform on WhatsApp, click here

To join our Telegram platform, click here 

COPYRIGHT 2022 CITY LAWYER. Please send emails to citylawyermag@gmail.com. Join us on Facebook at https://web.facebook.com/City-Lawyer-Magazine-434937936684320 and on “X” (TWITTER) at https://twitter.com/CityLawyerMag. To ADVERTISE in CITY LAWYER or for Special Features, please email citylawyermag@gmail.com or call 08138380083.

All materials available on this Website are protected by copyright, trade mark and other proprietary and intellectual property laws. You may not use any of our intellectual property rights without our express written consent or attribution to www.citylawyermag.com. However, you are permitted to print or save to your individual PC, tablet or storage extracts from this Website for your own personal non-commercial use.