$9.6bn judgment debt: Court remands Mrs Taiga in prison custody

…As FG arraigns her on 8 count charge

The Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Apo district of Abuja on Friday ordered a former Director of Legal Services in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Grace Taiga, to be remanded in Suleja prison custody.

This followed Taiga’s arraignment over her alleged roles in the controversial Process & Industrial Development Limited (P&ID), sour Gas Supply contract that led to the award of $9.6bn judgment debt against the federal government.

Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of the FCT high court ordered her remand after the defendant pleaded not guilty to each of an eight count charge read to her by the court clerk. Mrs Taiga was alleged to have signed the controversial contract agreement with an Irish firm Processes and Industrial Development (P&ID).

Mrs Taiga was arraigned on an eight count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and gratification among others.

After the plea was taken the counsel for the prosecuting agency the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Bala Sanga, prayed the court to remand the defendant in prison custody pending the commencement of trial.

Sanga, in addition asked for an adjournment to enable the prosecution call its witnesses to prove the charge against the defendant.

However attempt by her lawyer, Ola Olanipekun SAN, to move an oral application for her bail was turned down by the court.

Similar request that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody was rejected following objection by the EFCC counsel.

The trial judge, Justice Olukayode Adeniyi, accordingly ordered that she be remanded in Suleja prison pending the hearing and determination of the bail application.

Olanipekun had pleaded that the oral application for bail be taken on account of the failing health of Mrs Taiga.

Her arraignment is coming barely 24 hours after the conviction of the P&ID by the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, Abuja on economic sabotage, money laundering and tax evasion amongst others.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the charge, specifically accused Mrs Taiga of signing the said agreement without obtaining approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) as required by law.

The defendant was said to be suffering from multiple health conditions including, diabetes, blood pressure, kidney diseases among others.

Mrs Taiga whom according to her lawyer had been in the sick Bay of the EFCC was said to have collapsed on her way to court for Friday’s arraignment.

The matter has been adjourned till September 25 for the hearing of her bail application.