The commission stated in a
counter-affidavit filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja, that it had been
investigating the ex-minister for various allegations of corrupt practices,
including abuse of office, money laundering, stealing of public funds and
illegal acquisition of properties within and outside Nigeria.
The Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission says its investigative team has not been allowed to meet with
the immediate past Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani
Alison-Madueke, in the United Kingdom, where she has been staying since 2015
when investigation into her tenure began.
But EFCC stated that its
efforts to interrogate her over the allegations had been abortive as her
lawyer, John Binns of BCL Solicitors, refused to allow the commission’s team of
investigators, led by Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa, to meet with her in the UK earlier
in March this year.
The EFCC’s
counter-affidavit was in response to a motion filed by the former minister,
seeking an amendment to the heading of the charges filed against a businessman,
Mr. Olajide Omokore, and five others by adding her name to the list of
defendants so that she could defend herself in respect of allegations against
her in one of the nine counts.
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