Alleged P&ID scam: Court dismisses money laundering charges against ex-Petroleum Ministry’s director
The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed the money laundering charge brought against the late Mrs Grace Taiga, a former Director of Legal at the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The charge, which was marked FHC/ABJ/CR/321/2021, was struck out by Justice Obiora Egwuatu after Taiga’s lawyer, Daniel Alumun, presented her death certificate to the court.
Taiga was accused of being involved in the alleged laundering of $9.6 million belonging to the federal government, which was said to have been diverted to private pockets. She was arrested by the EFCC in 2019 and was facing trial before her death earlier this year.
Justice Egwuatu was, in the last adjourned date, informed of the demise of Taiga by her lawyer but the EFCC demanded to see the death certificate of the ex-director.
It was gathered that the anti-graft agency was, however, not represented in court in today’s proceeding.
The EFCC had, on Oct. 7, 2021, re-arraigned Taiga before Justice Egwuatu on a nine-count amended charge bordering on money laundering offence but pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Taiga, an accomplice in the multiple fraud case involving Process and Industrial Development (P&ID) Limited, was on Oct. 27, 2021, admitted to bail in sum of N30 million with two sureties in the like sum.
She was also standing trial before Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of a Federal Capital Territory High Court on allegations bordering on bribery in the Gas Supply Processing Agreement between P&ID and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Late Taiga was among other Nigerians and foreigners being prosecuted by the anti-graft agency in the money laundering offence.
Recall that a P&ID Director and Briton, James Nolan, was, on Jan. 27, arrested by the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) in Italy after he jumped bail and fled Nigeria.
The Briton, who doubles as an Irish citizen, is standing trial in the ongoing 9.6 billion dollars P&ID scandal in Nigeria.
He is yet to be extradited back to Nigeria.
