The Federal Capital Territory High Court, on Tuesday, said it will return the case file involving a former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, to the Chief Judge of the court, after the expiration of the 14 days allowed for Mr Adoke’s detention.
The court presided by Othman Musa said this after hearing a bail application brought by Mr Adoke’s lawyers led by Benson Ignanoi from the chambers of senior Nigerian lawyer, Mike Ozekhome.
The court had allowed an ex-parte application for Mr Adoke’s detention by the anti-graft agency, EFCC, on December 20: a day after Mr Adoke arrived Nigeria on December 19.
An ex-parte application is that sought in the absence of the other party, in this case in the absence of Mr Adoke’s counsel.
The order is billed to expire on January 2.
The judge decided to return the case file after Mr Igbanoi explained that although they had their application for Mr Adoke’s bail, they needed time to respond to counter applications brought by the EFCC.
Mr Adoke had been held for over a month in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, following a request by the EFCC through INTERPOL before he returned to Nigeria on December 19.
Mr Adoke who has been on a self imposed exile since 2015, has pending criminal charges brought against him by the commission for his alleged role in the scandal that followed the granting of the Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 245 to Shell and ENI.
The controversial contract had resulted in the payment of $1.1 billion dollars to accounts controlled by an ex-convict and former petroleum minister, Dan Etete by Shell and ENI
Mr Adoke has denied any wrongdoing in the matter.
The allegations has however resulted in international prosecution of suspects linked to the matter.
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