The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday informed the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Apo that contrary to the claim of the Process and Industrial Development (P&ID), and former Director, Legal Services, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Grace Taiga, the office of the Attorney –General of the Federation did not receive any Gas Supply and Processing Agreement (GSPA) between the P&ID and the Ministry for vetting and approval.
The EFCC is prosecuting Taiga before Justice Olukayode Adeniyi, following the alleged role she played in the activities leading to the controversial $9.6billion judgment in favour of P&ID.
At the resumed trial of Taiga, the second prosecution witness for EFCC, Umar Hussein Babangida, told the court that the EFCC wrote a letter to the office of the AGF, requesting for the evidence of receipt of the said GSPA, vetting and approval.
Babangida, who was led in evidence by the lawyer to the EFCC, Mr Abba Muhammed, further told the court that the Solicitor General of the Federation, Mr Dayo Akpata (SAN), responded that the office of the AGF did not receive such a request.
The witness added that Akpata further disclosed that after thorough search of their records and archives, there was no evidence that the office of the AGF received such letter from the Federal Ministry of Petroleum on the said GSPA.
Babangida said, “The Solicitor General stated unequivocally in his response to the EFCC’s request that the office of the AGF did not play any role in the draft of the GSPA and did not receive any letter from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the P&ID in respect of the GSPA.”
The letter from the office of the AGF dated September 17, 2019 and signed by Akpata was later tendered by the EFCC’s lawyer while the lawyer to Taiga, Mr Ola Olanipekun (SAN), did not oppose the application.
Justice Adeniyi consequently admitted the letter and marked it as exhibit P12 (a-b.
Babangida further testified that based on the response from the office of the AGF, the EFCC latter contacted the former Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Mr Abdullahi Yola.
The witness added that Yola, who served between 2008 and 2015, confirmed that throughout his tenure in office, the GSPA issue was never brought to his attention for vetting and evaluation.
Babangida also told the court that Yola disclosed to the EFCC the he only became aware of the matter in 2015 when he had to prepare the presentation to the Federal Government on the matter.
The witness also informed the court that any contract above the threshold of N50million must be vetted and okayed by the AGF and consequently presented before the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval.
Babangida added that the above procedure was not followed in the controversial GSPA matter involving P&ID and the Federal Ministry of Petroleum.
The witness also disclosed that the EFCC further discovered that two other firms controlled by the promoters of P&ID, Brenda Cahill and Michael Quinn, paid aggregate sum of $21,000 and another 10,000 Euros into the Zenith Bank account of Taiga, who equally acknowledged the receipt of the funds during her interaction with the EFCC.
The case has been adjourned till January 31, 2020.
