The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke, permission to present evidence of her acquittal by a United Kingdom court in her ongoing legal battle to recover assets previously forfeited to the Federal Government.
Justice Inyang Ekwo approved the application after Diezani’s lawyer, Godwin Iyinbor, requested leave to file a supplementary affidavit containing details of the recent judgment delivered by a court in London.
The application was not opposed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), whose counsel, Mofesomo Oyetibo (SAN), confirmed that the anti-graft agency had no objection to the request.
The UK court had recently discharged and acquitted the former minister over bribery allegations brought against her.
Diezani is currently challenging the forfeiture of her assets in a suit filed against the EFCC before the Federal High Court.
During Wednesday’s proceedings, both parties regularised their court processes before Iyinbor sought permission to introduce the additional affidavit, arguing that the acquittal represented a significant new development relevant to the case.
Although the EFCC’s lawyer remarked that the application merely sought to inform the court of Diezani’s acquittal in the UK, he did not oppose the request when asked by the judge.
Justice Ekwo subsequently granted the application and adjourned the matter until October 6 for the hearing of both the preliminary objection and the substantive suit.
