Attempt to arraign Adoke and others on Wednesday flopped following non service of hearing notices on some of the defendants.
A mild drama ensured at the FCT High Court Gwagwalada on Wednesday afternoon as counsel representing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) feigned ignorance of the arraignment of former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN).
Though, EFCC brought Adoke to Court and the second and third defendants came to court on their own, the prosecution lawyer, Bala Sanga, told the court that the fourth defendant was yet to be served.
The fourth to seventh defendants are however corporate entities.
The defendants are Mohammed Adoke Aliu Abubakar, Rasky Gbinigie, Malabu Oil and Gas Limited, Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited, Shell Ultra Deep Limited and Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Limited.
When the case was called, lawyers announced representation for the respondents except the fourth, Malabu Oil.
A representative of the oil firm however informed the court that their lawyer was not in court because he was not aware that the matter was coming up on Wednesday.
According to him, he was only at the court to make enquiries about the case when he learnt that the matter is coming up in the afternoon.
When asked if the fourth respondent was served, he said he could not tell. However, counsel to the EFCC, Bala Sanga confirmed to the court that the fourth defendant was yet to be served.
“We only served 5th, 6th and 7th respondents” he said, adding that, “We don’t know why we are here”.
While giving the hint that the commission had planned the arraignment of the defendants for Friday this week, the EFCC lawyer said, “We are at a shock as to how they got here”.
The defendants are to face a fresh 42-count charge over their alleged complicity in the $1.1bn Malabu oil deal.
In the fresh charge with number CR/151/2020, filed at the Court registry, the Federal Government is alleging that Adoke and other respondents received gratification to carry out a fraudulent oil deal.
