Diezani K. Alison-Madueke To Be Arraign On The 3rd Of October
A Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Apo, on Wednesday, has fixed October 3, for the arraignment of Deziani Alison-Madueke, a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, on a 5-counts criminal charge, bordering on conspiracy and illegal act of accepting and giving gratifications.
The court had earlier granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, leave to arraign Alison-Madueke, former Chairman of Atlantic Energy Drilling Company, Olajide Omokore, on February 25.
The date was fixed following the absence of Justice Valentine Ashi, the Trial Judge, who was on another official engagement.
Faruk Abdullahi, the Counsel to the EFCC, had told the court on February 25, that the arraignment would not hold, as Alison-Madueke and her co-accused were not in court.
Abdullahi explained that the EFCC had forwarded a request to the Attorney-General of the Federation, for onward commencement of Alison-Madueke’s repatriation process from the United Kingdom.
He said that the absence of the second Defendant, Omokore, was linked to the Commission’s inability to serve him with the court processes.
The Prosecutor therefore, prayed the court for a further adjournment, to enable the team tidy up its house.
Adeniyi Adegbonmire, SAN, Counsel to Omokore, said that his client was prepared to stand trial, but that the right process to commence the trial must be adhered to.
