Dele Oyewale, the Head of Media and Publicity at the EFCC, has disclosed a significant development in the ongoing legal proceedings related to the $9.6 billion scam involving Process and Industrial Development (P&ID) and the Nigerian government.
The case centers around the contentious Gas Supply Processing Agreement between P&ID and the Federal Government of Nigeria. Initially, P&ID had been awarded $11 billion in damages against the Nigerian government due to the failure of the contract.
However, in a favorable turn of events, a London arbitration court overturned this massive award in October, ruling that the contract had been obtained through fraudulent means.
Currently, MICAD Project City Services Limited and James Nolan face 20 charges, including “obtaining by false pretense, money laundering, and criminal conversion of proceeds of crime,” amounting to N151,394,328.00.
In February, the International Criminal Police Organisation announced the arrest of James Nolan in Italy. Nolan had fled Nigeria in 2022 while on bail, amidst the ongoing scandal surrounding the $9.6 billion P&ID case.
During the recent court session on Monday, prosecution counsel Bala Sanga informed the court about additional evidence submitted by the EFCC on February 20, 2024. The defence counsel, Michael Ajara, confirmed receipt of this evidence.
Subsequently, Sanga presented the third prosecution witness, lawyer Nnedimma Eyisi, who provided testimony regarding James Nolan’s attempt to renew his position as the Director of MICAD.
This latest development underscores the ongoing efforts to bring perpetrators of financial crimes to justice, reaffirming the commitment of law enforcement agencies to uphold transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s legal system.