The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, permission to present evidence of her recent acquittal by a United Kingdom court in her ongoing legal battle to recover assets previously forfeited to the Nigerian government.
Justice Inyang Ekwo approved the application on Wednesday after counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mofesomo Oyetibo (SAN), informed the court that the anti-graft agency had no objection to the request.
Diezani, through her lawyer, Godwin Iyinbor, filed the motion on June 25, seeking leave to submit a further and supplementary affidavit highlighting what he described as a significant new development—the former minister’s acquittal by the Southwark Crown Court in London.
The application also requested that the additional affidavit be deemed properly filed before the court.
The former petroleum minister was discharged and acquitted by the UK court on June 17 over criminal bribery allegations brought against her.
Her acquittal forms part of the evidence she intends to rely on in her suit before the Federal High Court, where she is challenging the forfeiture of her assets. The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/21/2023, lists the EFCC as the sole respondent.
During Wednesday’s proceedings, both parties regularised their court processes before Iyinbor moved the application.
Although EFCC counsel remarked that the application merely sought to inform the court of Diezani’s acquittal in the UK and suggested it would not materially affect the proceedings, he confirmed that the commission would not oppose the motion.
Following the EFCC’s position, Justice Ekwo granted the application and adjourned the matter until October 6 for hearing.
The judge also directed that both the EFCC’s preliminary objection and the substantive suit would be heard together on the next adjourned date.
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