By Ife Osemedua
The trial of Jide Omokore, alongside Victor Briggs, former managing director of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, and Membere Abiye, for alleged oil fraud in respect of a Strategic Alliance Agreement on OML 26, 30, 34 & 42, has been adjourned till February 22, 2021.
Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Abuja, made the announcement on Thursday, December 3, 2020, according to a press statement signed by Wilson Uwujaren, head of the EFCC’s Media and Publicity Unit.
Omokore’s two companies, Atlantic Energy Brass Limited and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Limited, are also undergoing trial for the same allegations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The case is on an amended nine-count charge, bordering on alleged money laundering and procurement fraud to the tune of $1.6billion.
The statement said at the resumed trial on Wednesday, the prosecution witness, Abdulrasheed Bawa, an investigator with the EFCC, while being led in evidence by Adebisi Adeniyi, informed the court that Omokore, (the first defendant) bought properties for former minister of petroleum resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
It continued, “The properties, Penthouse 22, Block B, No 8, Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos and Penthouse 21, Block C5, Bella Vista Estate, Banana Island, Lagos, he said, were purchased at the cost of $1,194,000 and $3,570,000 respectively.
“He tendered the documents in respect of the properties and they were admitted in evidence.
“The two properties, however, were in 2018, forfeited to the Federal Government through an Order of a Federal High Court, Lagos, upon a proceeding, initiated by the EFCC.”
It further said that Justice Dimgba adjourned the case, upon mention, to enable the counsel, who flew in from outside Abuja, to catch up with their flights, ordering that the passports of the fourth and fifth defendants (Briggs and Abiye), respectively, should be released to them to enable them travel, but must be returned to the court on or before the adjourned date.