TheCable

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned James Richard Nolan and Adam Quinn (at large), both British nationals, over their alleged complicity in the $9.6 billion judgment against Nigeria.

Process and Industrial Development (P&ID), an Irish engineering company, had secured the award against Nigeria following the non-execution of a 20-year gas and supply processing agreement (GSPA) the company had with the federal government.

The arraignment of the two British nationals is coming weeks after two P&ID directors were convicted over the deal.

The defendants, both directors of Goidel Resources Limited, a Designated Non-Financial Institution (DNFI) and ICIL Limited, were arraigned on a 16-count charge bordering on money laundering on Monday.

Count one read: “That you James Richard Nolan and Adam Quinn(at large), sometime in December 2013 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, being Directors of Goidel Resources Limited, a Designated Non-Financial Institution(“DNFI”) aided the said Company in failing to comply in the requirement of submitting to the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investments a declaration of the activities as specified under Section 5 (1)(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 16 (2b) of the same Act.”

Another count read: “That you Goidel Resources Limited, sometime in February 2014, at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Federal High Court being a Designated Non-Financial Institution (“DNFI”) failed to report in writing to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission a single lodgment of the sum of $125,000 ( One Hundred and Twenty Five Thousand, Dollar only), in your account number 0154696732 domiciled in Guaranty Trust Bank Plc as specified under Section 10(1b) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 16(2b) of the same Act.”

After the charges were read to them, the defendants pleaded not guilty.

Okon Abang, the judge, struck out count nine of on the grounds that “a court of law has no jurisdiction to entertain a charge against a non-registered person.”

Thereafter, Bala Sanga, prosecuting counsel, asked the court for a trial date and an order to remand the defendants in prison custody.

But Okwudili Anozie, defence counsel, opposed Sanga’s application and moved an oral application for bail of his clients.

Sanga objected to the oral bail application saying: “We object to the oral application of the defendant. We would be requesting an affidavit showing cause why the bail should be granted.”

Abang refused the oral application for the bail of the defendants and adjourned the matter till November 20 and November 21 for commencement of trial.

The defendants will remain in prison custody pending the consideration of their bail applications.