• EFCC insists on Grace Tiaga’s death certificate in P&ID suit
Amid tight security, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday, arraigned former governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, on charges bordering on money laundering and financial crime.
Dressed in a navy-blue jacket with a back cap to match, Obiano was escorted into the courtroom by more than 10 EFCC operatives.
He was driven into the court premises around 8:00am in an 18-seater Toyota bus, marked ABC 573 KQ, and kept inside the vehicle for some minutes before being moved into the courtroom.
Inside the courtroom, he was sandwiched in between four EFCC personnel, who prevented followers, including a traditional ruler and sympathizers, from accessing him.
Obiano is facing trial in a nine-count corruption charge involving alleged N4 billion fraud brought against him by the Federal Government through the anti-graft agency.
The money is believed to be security votes moved into different accounts.
The offences were said to have been committed between March 2014 and March 2022.
But when the case was called up yesterday, Obiano pleaded not guilty to the nine charges.
The trial judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, consequently, granted bail to the defendant.
The court also ordered that the former governor should be restricted to the court jurisdiction.
The trial judge equally directed EFCC to deposit the defendant’s travel documents with the court registrar.
Justice Ekwo then ordered the registrar to notify the Nigeria Immigration Service of the development.
He, subsequently, adjourned the case till March 4, 5, 6 and 7 for continuation of trial.
MEANWHILE, the anti-graft agency has insisted that the death certificate of a former Director of Legal Services at the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Grace Taiga, should be produced before an Abuja High Court.
Taiga is standing trial before Justice Olukayode Adeniyi on allegations revolving around bribery in the controversial Gas Supply Processing Agreement (GSPA) between Process and Industrial Development (P&ID) and the Federal Government.
The EFCC sued her on an amended 13-count charge bordering on bribery, among others.
The plaintiff alleged that Taiga received bribe through her offshore bank account in signing the controversial GPSA.
It also alleged that the former director violated various laws by entering into the agreement without prior approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and a certificate of no objection to the contract from the Bureau of Public Enterprises (PBE).
She, however, pleaded not guilty to the allegations to Taiga, Daniel Alumun, told the court that the defendant died on August 1, 2023, at a hospital in Abuja.
Alumun tendered a letter titled, “Hospital Death Declaration,” from Primus International Super Specialty Hospital, Karu New Extension, Abuja, to notify the court of Taiga’s demise.
He, thereafter, urged the court to dismiss the charge.
EFCC lawyer, Mohammed Hussain, however, insisted that a death certificate must be brought before the court by the defence in compliance with the law before the court could dismiss the case.
Justice Adeniyi then directed that a death certificate be produced before the court.
When the matter came up yesterday, the defendant’s attorney informed the court that the death certificate was not ready.
The judge, thereafter, adjourned the matter till March 6 for a further report on the death certificate.
