Former Nigerian Attorney-General and Justice Minister, Mohammed Adoke and oil magnate, Aliyu Abubakar have been re-arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes(EFCC) over their alleged involvement in the multi-billion dollar Malabu Oil Scandal.
They were arraigned on a 42 -count criminal charge along with others before a Federal Capital Territory High Court over the case of the Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 245, involving Malabu Oil.
At the commencement of the trial on Thursday, prosecuting counsel, Bala Sanga, told the court that the EFCC had filed an amended charge dated January 18, 2021 against the defendants and urged the court to allow the charges to be read to allow them to take fresh pleas
The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges
The prosecutor urged the court for a date to commence trial.
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Justice Idris Kutigi ordered Adoke, Aliyu, and another defendant, Rasky Gbinigie to remain on existing bail conditions earlier granted by the court and adjourned the case to April 14 for trial.
Those bdocked along with Adoke and Abubakar are Rasky Gbinigie; Malabu Oil and Gas Limited; Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited; Shell Nigeria Extra Deep Limited and Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Limited.
They were first arraigned on January 23, 2020.
Edited by Oloyede Oworu
