Malabu: Adoke petitions Malami over indictment by Nigeria’s lawyer
by Bridget Chiedu Onochie, Abuja
Former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke (SAN), has petitioned the current AGF Abubakar Malami (SAN), over his indictment by Nigeria’s counsel, Lucio Lucia, at the ongoing trial of Shell and others at an Italian court.
In the letter of complaint dated September 10, which he personally signed, Adoke asked Malami to call Lucia to order so as to prevent him from trampling upon his fundamental rights.
Adoke complained about the manner Lucio presented him as corrupt and partly responsible for fraud allegations being tried by the Milan court.
He said: “Mr. Lucio Lucia in his submission before the court on September 9, on the position of Federal Republic of Nigeria as injured party entitled to civil compensation, had allegedly “reaffirmed the indictment of Mr. Adoke and others in the heist” connection with the OPL 245 Resolution Agreement.
“He proceeded to make other bizarre and unfounded allegations to the effect that I was extradited from Dubai for corruption related to OPL 245, knowing fully that nothing of sort ever happened, and with characteristic audacity, he carelessly reconstructed the evidence on my mortgage transaction with Unity Bank Plc which is subject of ongoing criminal proceedings in Nigeria to suit his narrative.”
Adoke further reminded Malami that his official role as AGF and Minister of Justice in the implementation of OPL 245 Settlement Agreement has been the subject of judicial pronouncement by the Federal High Court, Abuja, on April 13, 2018, where the court exonerated him of any wrong doing.
The trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako, ruled that “the plaintiff cannot be held personally liable for carrying out the lawful approval of the President while he served as a Minister of the Government of the Federation.”
Adoke also noted that apart from the above judicial pronouncement, the OPL 245 Resolution Agreements was a subject of review of two cabinet ministers in the present administration – Malami and former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachukwu, wherein they did not find him guilty of wrong doing.
He added that Kachukwu in his letter to the Chief of Staff to the President dated December 13, 201 7, concluded that the agreements were in the national interest.”
“In the light of the above, I cannot understand why Mr. Lucio Lucia would be allowed to assert on behalf of the same Federal Government of Nigeria, a position that is contrary to the unassailable declarations in the subsisting judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja dated April 13, 2018 and the views already expressed by your good self as the sitting AGF and the former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources on my role with respect to the implementation of OPL 245 Settlement Agreement,” he said.
While stating that he was not adverse to government’s claims before the Milan Court, Adoke expressed concern that Lucia has been allowed to present to the Court, deliberate false statements against him in support of the federal government’s case.
“As a Nigerian, I am not only entitled to the protection of my government, I am compelled to request that you call Lucia to order so as to preserve the dignity and respect of your high office as well as prevent my rights from being trampled upon by foreign elements acting in cohort with their Nigerian collaborators,” Adoke added.