BY Bolanle Olabimtan
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed fresh charges against James Nolan, a British national, over his involvement in the Process and Industrial Development (P&ID) “contract scam”.
The anti-graft agency had earlier filed 16 charges against Nolan. But on Thursday, the charges were raised from 16 to 32.
On October 21, Nolan alongside Adam Quinn, another British national who is at large and two firms in which they are said to be directors – Goidel Resources Limited, and ICIL Limited, were arraigned by the EFCC on a 16-count charge bordering on money laundering.
At the resumed trial on Thursday, Ekele Iheanacho, EFCC’s counsel told the court that the anti-graft agency filed the amended charge on November 20.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the amended 32-count charges and a plea of not guilty was entered for the two companies. The amended charge includes allegations of tax evasion and failure to submit tax returns.
The prosecution also called its first witness, Adewale Agunbiade, an account officer with Guarantee Trust Bank, Abuja, who handled the opening of accounts for Goidel Resources Ltd and ICIL Limited.
The arraignment of the two British nationals is coming weeks after two P&ID directors were convicted over the deal.
P&ID, an Irish engineering company, had secured a $9.6 billion award against Nigeria following the non-execution of a 20-year gas and supply processing agreement (GSPA) the company had with the federal government.
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