Oscarline Onwuemenyi
14 April 2018, Sweetcrude, Abuja – A Federal High Court in Abuja has held that the involvement of former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, in the OPL 245 transactions, commonly referred to as the Malabu Oil deals was in furtherance of the execution of “lawful directives” of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed a five-count charge of money laundering against the ex-minister before the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The Commission claimed Adoke was directly involved in the Malabu deal in which Nigeria lost $1.8billion.
But, in a judgment on Friday, Justice Binta Nyako held that the ex-minister acted on the lawful directives of Jonathan in the exercise of his executive powers as provided in the Constitution.
Justice Nyako said based on her finding that Adoke acted on the ex-President’s directives, he could not be held personally liable for all he did in respect of the matter.
The judgment was on a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/94/446/2017 filed by Adoke, with the AGF as the sole defendant.
The judge resolved all the issues raised in favour of the plaintiff and dismissed the preliminary objection raised against the suit by the defendant.
