Justice D.Z. Senchi, of a Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) High Court, sitting in Jabi has issued warrant of arrest for a former minister of petroleum, Mr. Dan Etete, former attorney general and minister of justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, who were implicated in the Malabu Oil scandal.
The warrant was issued by Justice D.Z. Senchi of Jabi Federal High Court, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), prosecuting the case.
Also declared wanted, according to EFCC on its facebook post, were Raph Wetzels, Casula Roberto, Pujato Stefeno, and Burrato Sebastiano.
They were meant to be arraigned before Justice Senchi on Wednesday, April 17, 2019 to face charges related to the Malabu Oil Scandal but failed to show up.
The EFCC had since 2017 pressed charges against Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Co. Ltd, Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited, Eni Spa, Raph Wetzels, Casula Roberto, Pujato Stefeno, Burrato Sebastiano, Duazia Louya Etete (aka Dan Etete), Mohammed Bello Adoke, Aliyu Abubakar and Malabu Oil & Gas Limited.
All the defendants declared wanted had repeatedly failed to appear before the court. In view of their persistent absence in court, the EFCC had through its counsel, Aliyu Yusuf, brought a motion ex parte praying the court for a warrant of their arrest, and an order for leave to execute the warrant outside of the jurisdiction of the court.
At today’s proceeding, Justice Senchi, granted the prayers of the EFCC, and ruled that the Nigeria Police, the INTERPOL and any other law enforcement agency should arrest them anywhere they were found including outside jurisdiction of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) High Court.
The matter was adjourned to July 11, 2019 for further hearing.
It would be recalled that the EFCC had, in December 2016, charged nine suspects, including Adoke, over the purchase of OPL 245.
Adoke was accused of illegally transferring more than $800 million, purportedly meant for the purchase of the OPL 245 to Etete, Malabu Oil.
The federal government also on March 2 filed fresh charges against Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Limited and Agip Nigeria Exploration Limited for alleged complicity in the Malabu $1.1 billion scandal.
Adoke, Etete, Aliyu Abubakar, ENI Spa, Ralph Wetzels, Casula Roberto, Pujatti Stefeno, Burrafati Sebestiano, and Malabu Oil and Gas were charged alongside the two multinational oil firms.
