Former petroleum ministry director of legal affairs slapped with 13 counts of corruption

FORMER Ministry of Petroleum Resources director of legal services Grace Taiga has been slapped with a 13-count corruption charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the resumption of her trial in Abuja.

Under scrutiny for her role in the Process and Industrial Development (P&ID) $9.6bn fine scandal, Mrs Taiga was first arrested in 2019 when Nigeria was slapped with the fine.  In court, the prosecution has accused Mrs Taiga of receiving bribes through her offshore bank account, alongside the then petroleum minister, the late Rilwan Lukman, which ultimately led to P&ID getting awarded a contract.

Under the terms of a contract signed on January 11, 2010 Nigeria entered into an agreement to supply P&ID 400 MMScuFD of wet gas for a period of 20 years. While the company would make available 85% of the lean gas proceeds from the process, it was to be compensated by being offered by-products such as butane and sell on the international market.

However, Nigerian failed to deliver on its side of the bargain and on August 22, 2012, the British firm filed for arbitration, writing to the federal government on March 20, 2013, accusing it of repudiating the contract it entered into. The contract that has simply become known as the GSPA is the Gas Supply Processing Agreement, under which P&ID was to process the wet gas into lean gas suitable for firing gas-powered electricity generation plants.

Nigeria alleged that the agreement was on various grounds invalid or subsequently frustrated, varied or discharged by force majeure. However, P&ID challenged this and a panel of arbitration ruled that Nigeria was liable for the failure of the contract and should pay the British firm a sum of $6.597bn as the profit that the company would have made in the 20 years tenure of the contract.

After being slapped with the fine, Nigeria appealed the judgement and has brought charges against Mrs Taiga for her role in the matter. Yesterday, the trial resumed before Justice Adeniyi of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja with the testimony of the fourth prosecution witness, Aminu Lawal.

Among the charges the prosecution brought against Mrs Taiga was that on December 30, 2019, she received $4,969.50 through her daughter, Vera Ename Moses Taiga, paid 11 days before the signing of the GSPA. Mrs Taiga, however, pleaded not guilty, to the charges.

Documents which included a search warrant, the response from the defence ministry, details of transactions and a certificate of compliance, were tendered in evidence and admitted by the court. When the witness was discharged from the witness box, the case was thereafter adjourned till March 8 and 16, 2022 for cross-examination of the witness.