Malabu: Court Orders Arrest of Etete, Adoke, Others

By Alex Enumah in Abuja

Justice Danlami Senchi of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting in Jabi, on Wednesday ordered the arrest of former Minister of Petroleum, Dan Etete, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, and four others over their complicity in the Malabu Oil deal.

The bench warrant for the arrest of the defendants was sequel to an ex parte application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for their arrest.

The others are Raph Wetzels, Casula Roberto, Pujato Stefeno, and Burrato Sebastiano.

According to a statement by the EFCC, the defendants were meant to be arraigned before Justice Senchi Wednesday, April 17, to face charges related to the Malabu Oil Scandal but failed to show up.

The statement signed by the commission’s Acting Head of Media and Publicity, Tony Orilade, said the EFCC had since 2017 pressed charges against Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Co. Ltd, Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited, Eni Spa, Raph Wetzels, Casula Roberto, Pujato Stefeno, Burrato Sebastiano, Duazia Louya Etete (aka Dan Etete), Mohammed Bello Adoke, Aliyu Abubakar and Malabu Oil & Gas Limited.

The statement claimed that all the defendants declared wanted had repeatedly failed to appear before the court.

“In view of their persistent absence in court, the EFCC had through its counsel, Aliyu Yusuf, brought a motion ex parte praying the court for a warrant of their arrest, and an order for leave to execute the warrant outside of the jurisdiction of the court.

“At today’s proceeding, Justice Senchi, granted the prayers of the EFCC, and ruled that the Nigeria Police, the INTERPOL and any other law enforcement agency should arrest them anywhere they were found including outside jurisdiction of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) High Court”, he said.

The matter has been adjourned till July 11 for further hearing.