By Adedapo Adesanya
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday re-arraigned two British nationals, Mr James Nolan and Mr Adam Quinn (at large), before Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
They were brought to court for their alleged complicity in the controversial Process and Industrial Development (P&ID) gas processing contract, leading to the $9.6 billion arbitral awarded to P&ID Limited by a United Kingdom commercial court.
Recall that P&ID, a firm based in the British Virgin Islands, won a $9.6 billion arbitration award against the Nigerian government after the collapse of a 2010 gas project.
However, the Nigerian government had also recorded some victories, including getting the company to make the payment of more than £1.5 million to Nigeria within 21 days to cover legal costs in an ensuing legal battle between both parties as well as granted the power to make a fraud challenge against the $9.6 billion arbitration award obtained by P&ID well outside the normal time limits.
The defendants, both directors of Goidel Resources Limited – a Designated Non-Financial Institution (DNFI) – and ICIL Limited, were re-arraigned on 32 counts bordering on money laundering.
One of the counts of the charge read, “That you, ICIL LIMITED, JAMES RICHARD NOLAN and ADAM QUINN (at large) between January and December 2008 in Abuja within the Abuja Judicial Division of the Federal High Court, used the total sum of N52,202,392.91 when you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed proceed of your unlawful activities to wit: tax evasion and failure to submit value-added tax returns, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15 (2) (d) and punishable under section 15 (3) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012).”
Another count read, “That you, ICIL LIMITED, JAMES RICHARD NOLAN and ADAM QUINN (at large) between January and December 2009 in Abuja within the Abuja Judicial Division of the Federal High Court, used the total sum of N26,366,748.91 when you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed proceed of your unlawful activities to wit: tax evasion and failure to submit value-added tax returns, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15 (2) (d) and punishable under section 15 (3) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012).”
After the charges were read to them, the third defendant (Nolan) pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
Mr Quinn, who is at large, was not available to take his plea but the prosecuting counsel, Mr Ekele Iheanacho, requested that his plea be recorded as “guilty” which the judge granted.
In view of Mr Nolan’s not guilty plea, Mr Iheanacho asked the court for a trial date.
The counsel to Mr Nolan, Mr Micheal Ajara, on his part applied to the court for the defendant to continue enjoying the bail granted to him by Justice Okon Abang, which the prosecuting counsel did not oppose.
Justice Okorowo, thereafter, adjourned the matter until December 13 for the commencement of the trial.
