By Yemi Oyeyemi, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday re-arraigned a former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Bello Adoke SAN and oil magnate, Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar, over their alleged complicity in the multi-billion dollar Malabu Oil Scandal.
They were put on trial on 42 -count criminal charges along with others before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on the Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 245.
Others docked along with them are Rasky Gbinigie; Malabu Oil and Gas Limited; Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited; Shell Nigeria Extra Deep Limited and Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Limited.
The former AGF and the other defendants were first arraigned in the case marked FCT/CR/151/2020 before Justice Idris Kutigi, sitting at Gwagwalaga, Abuja, by the anti-corruption agency on January 23, 2020.
At the resumed trial of the case on Thursday, the prosecuting counsel, Mr 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 them to take their fresh plea.
Thereafter, the charges were read to the defendants who pleaded not guilty.
Following their not guilty plea, Sanga asked for date for the commencement of trial.
Based on agreement of parties, Justice Kutigi adjourned the case till April 14-15 for hearing.
The judge ordered Adoke, Aliyu and Gbinigie to remain on bail earlier granted them by the court.