A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke permission to present evidence of a recent UK court judgment that cleared her of bribery allegations.
Justice Inyang Ekwo approved the request after her lawyer, Godwin Iyinbor, filed a motion seeking leave to submit a supplementary affidavit containing the fresh development from the United Kingdom.
The application, which was not opposed by counsel to the Economic and Financially Crimes Commission (EFCC), was granted by the court.
The judgment she intends to rely on followed her acquittal by the on June 17 over criminal bribery charges brought against her in the United Kingdom.
Diezani is currently pursuing a suit before the Federal High Court to recover assets previously forfeited to the Federal Government. During the proceedings, EFCC lawyer Mofesomo Oyetibo acknowledged receiving the application but argued that the motion was intended to “waste the judicial time of the court.”
However, when Justice Ekwo asked whether the anti-graft agency intended to oppose the application, the lawyer confirmed that it had no objection. The court subsequently granted the request as prayed and adjourned the matter until October 6 for hearing.
