Nov. 3, 2021

The absence of counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, in court on Wednesday stalled the money laundering trial.

A Federal High Court, Abuja had fixed today, Nov. 3, for the EFCC to give a report on its effort at extraditing Alison-Madueke to the country to stand her trial, and for possible mention of the case.

Although Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu was the presiding judge in the matter, the case was reassigned to Justice Bolaji Olajuwon, following the transfer of Ojukwu to the Calabar division of the court.

The suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/208/2018, was number 9 on the Wednesday’s cause list, but neither the EFCC lawyer nor Mrs Alison-Madueke was in court.

When the matter was called, the court registrar said: “No counsel in court my lord.”

This was the first time the case came up before Olajuwon.

Justice Olajuwon then adjourned the matter until Jan. 24, 2022, for report of mention. (NAN)