The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has formally contested the effort by former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, to submit court documents from a recent Southwark Crown Court judgment in London, which acquitted her of corruption charges.
The EFCC contends that the acquittal by the UK court, issued on June 17, is not pertinent to the issues currently being addressed in Nigerian courts. This stance comes after Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja granted Diezani permission to present the UK judgment as evidence in her ongoing cases.
Diezani initiated legal action seeking the return of assets forfeited to the Nigerian federal government, including real estate and jewelry. In her motions, she claims that the EFCC’s public auction of her assets violates her rights, as no conviction has been secured against her in Nigeria.
The EFCC’s recent filings assert that many claims within Diezani’s application are misleading and irrelevant. It emphasizes that the UK proceedings are separate and unrelated to the Nigerian cases in question.
During a recent court session, the attorney representing Diezani indicated that they had just received further documentation from the EFCC prior to the hearing. The court subsequently scheduled a follow-up date for November 11 to consider the motions filed by both parties.
In its counter-affidavit, the EFCC argues that the evidence brought forth by Diezani seeks to divert attention from the real issues at hand, thereby complicating the proceedings unnecessarily.
