Nigeria’s Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), on Monday led a team of senior lawyers to represent the Federal Government at a Supreme Court hearing over the Petro Union Oil and Gas Limited suit in a move to protect Nigeria from potential fraud and associated loss in the hydrocarbon resources industry.
The Attorney General’s appearance at the apex court was the first time the Federal Government was being represented in the legal battle since the oil company secured a judgment from the Federal High Court in Abuja for £2.556 billion.
But then, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had concluded in its investigation report that Petro Union obtained the judgment by allegedly using a Barclays Bank UK cheque to draw from an account, which was closed five years before the cheque was presented.
The commission’s findings led to the ongoing prosecution of the oil company’s directors before the Federal High Court in Lagos.
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In the suit filed by the EFFC, the the directors of Petro Union Oil and Gas Limited, namely Kingsley Okpala, Chidi Okpalaeze, Emmanuel Okpalaeze, and Abayomi Kukoyi (trading as Gladstone Kukoyi & Associates), are facing a 13-count charge of conspiracy, forgery, and fraud before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke.
Fagbemi’s appearance demonstrates the Federal Government’s determination to overturn the March 11, 2014 Federal High Court order, which directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Union Bank of Nigeria, the Minister of Finance, and the Attorney-General to jointly pay the company the judgment amount along with 15 per cent interest per annum.
During last Monday court’s proceedings, the Attorney-General of the Federation led Mohammed Gazali (SAN), a Director in the Federal Ministry of Justice, and other lawyers to represent the Federal Government and its agencies while Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) led the legal team for Union Bank, while the CBN’s legal team was headed by Damian Dodo (SAN).
Awomolo argued an application to amend the Notice of Appeal by adding eight additional Grounds of Appeal just as the AGF and the CBN’s legal team supported the motion which was opposed by Petro Union’s legal team.
After listening to the arguments of the lawyers on the matter before it, the Supreme Court reserved its ruling for a later date to be communicated to the parties.
