The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday debunked some media reports claiming that the Commission has dropped charges of money laundering against former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke.
According to the anti-corruption agency, Adoke was re-arraigned alongside an Abuja-based businessman, Aliyu Abubakar before Justice Ekwo on June 17, 2020, on a seven-count charge, bordering on money laundering.
The re-arraignment, it said, was occasioned by the transfer of the case from Justice Binta Nyako, before whom he was originally arraigned on February 8, 2020.
Adoke was equally arraigned before Justice Kutigi alongside others on January 23, 2020 on 42-count charges bordering on the Malabu Oil scam.
“There is another subsisting case involving Malabu Oil & Gas Limited, Aliyu Abubakar and five companies allegedly involved in money laundering charges before Justice Ekwo.
“They were arraigned on Wednesday, July 1, 2020 in Suit Number: FHC/ABJ/CR/268/2016“, the commission said.
It described media reports about the removal of Adoke’s name from the “Wanted Persons’ List” by the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) as unnecessary and misleading.
It added that since Adoke has been arrested, and he is currently facing trial already in Nigeria, he could not continue to be on a “Wanted Persons’ List”.
“The EFCC wishes to reiterate its commitment to global best practices in its operations and would not be distracted from its assigned mandate of ridding the nation of all forms of economic and financial crimes”, the commission assured.
