Justice Abubakar Kutigi of the FCT High Court, has dismissed the charges of fraud, bribery and conspiracy filed against a former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Ruling on the no-case submission made by Adoke, Justice Kutigi said the EFCC failed to prove its charges of fraud, bribery and money laundering and ruled that the defendant has no case to answer.
The judge said the allegation of illegal tax waivers granted to Shell and Eni was not corroborated by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) or any authority.
On the alleged N300 million bribe said to have been given to Adoke by Aliyu Abubakar, the court ruled that the EFCC did not provide the necessary evidence to prove its case, thereby discharging and acquitting the former minister on all counts.
The EFCC had earlier conceded that it did not have sufficient evidence to oppose the no case application by Adoke, who was listed as first defendant.
The anti-graft agency however insisted that Rasky Gbinigie had a case to answer over the alleged forgery of company documents to remove the name of Mohammed Abacha as a director of Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd.
The EFCC had charged Adoke along with, Gbinije of Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd, Nigeria Agip Exploration Ltd, Shell Ultra Deep Nigeria Ltd, and Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Ltd (SNEPCo).
Adoke was accused of collecting a gratification of N300 million from one Aliyu Abubakar over the OPL 245 resolution, which he denied.
There is yet another case against Adoke and Abubakar before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which he filed a no case submission but Ekwos is yet to deliver his ruling.
