Victor EzejaTHE Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, has remanded Grace Taiga, a former Director of Legal services at the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, in prison custody pending perfection of her bail condition.
The defendant who is facing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly receiving bribes to facilitate the award of contract in the infamous Process & Industrial Development Limited (P&ID) scam, failed to provide a surety after she was granted bail by the court sometime in October, 2021.
At the resumed sitting on Monday, prosecuting counsel, Abba Muhammed informed the court that the prosecution have a new charge which has been served on the defendant “with additional proof of evidence.
“The only difference is that we are dropping two counts, eight and nine. It is a new charge to replace the old one. It is a reduction from nine counts to seven counts.”
The amended charge has the defendant’s daughter, Enameg Vera Moses Taiga, listed as an accused, who allegedly received the sum of Nine Thousand, Nine Hundred and Sixty-nine United States Dollars and Five Cent (USD 9969.5), paid by Kristholm Limited, a company controlled by the owners and promoters of Process & Industrial Development Limited, through her HSBC bank account on behalf of the 1st defendant.
The former charge was withdrawn and replaced by the new one.
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One of the counts in the amended read “that you Grace Taiga, Enameg Vera Moses Taiga(at large), Brendan Cahill(at large), Michael Qiunn (Deceased) on or about the 30th of January, 2012 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire to commit an offence to wit, money laundering by disguising the origin of the sum of Five Thousand United States of America Dollars(USD $5,000) paid by Kristholm Limited- a company controlled by the owners and promoters of Process & Industrial Development Limited, P&ID- into the HSBC bank account of Enameg Vera Moses Taiga domiciled at No. 8. Canada Square, London branch of HSBC which money you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of unlawful act, to wit, bribery and thereby committed and offence contrary to section 18(a) and punishable under section 15(2)(a) and (3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011(as amended)”.
Another count reads, “That you Grace Taiga, whilst being the Director of Legal at Ministry of Petroleum Resources, on or about the 30th of December, 2009 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an offence to wit, using the sum of Four Thousand, Nine Hundred and Sixty-nine United Stated of America Dollars, Five Cents (USD 4969.5) paid by Marshpearl Limited- a company controlled by the owners and promoters of Process & Industrial Development Limited (P&ID)- into the HSBC bank account of Enameg Vera Moses Taiga domiciled at No. 8 Canada Square, London branch of HSBC which money you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of unlawful act, to wit, bribery and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 15(2)(d) and (3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended)”.
The defendant pleaded “not guilty” when the charges were read to her.
Prosecution counsel, Abba Muhammed, also told the court that the prosecution have a witness in court and was ready to proceed with the trial. “We have served the defendant the proof of evidence and we are ready, subject to the convenience of the court,” he said.
However, defence counsel, Ola Olanipekun confirmed that they were served the second additional proof of evidence but prayed the court for an adjournment to enable him study the proof and respond.
At this stage, the judge asked the defendant if has perfected her bail condition. The defense counsel responded that she was unable to perfect her bail condition.
Consequently, the judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu Remanded the defendant in the custody of the Correctional Service pending the perfection of the bail condition and adjourned the matter till February 3, 2022 for continuation of hearing.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
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