P&ID scam: EFCC claims ex-oil ministry director received $ 10,000 from companies through daughter’s account

The fourth prosecution witness in the Process and Industrial Development Limited (P&ID) case involving Ms Grace Taiga told the court how Taiga allegedly received $ 4,969 and $ 5,000 through her daughter’s account as commission for contract award .

Ms Taiga, former director of legal services at the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 13 amended charges relating to allegations of money laundering and fraud.

She pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Testimony

The fourth prosecution witness, Aminu Lawal, a member of the EFCC, told the court that his team received a petition dated June 28, 2018, containing a directive from the presidency ordering an investigation into the fuel supply agreement. gas (GSPA).

He said during the investigation he found out that Ms Taiga drafted the GSPA while working at the Petroleum Resources Ministry as a legal director, and that there was so much disagreement about it. , including an unsigned agreement.

“We discovered an unsigned agreement between the Ministry of Defense and Khristolm Limited, a company owned and controlled by P&ID Limited and the promoters of P&ID are Michael Quinn, Brendan Cahill, James Nolan and Niel Hitchob,” Mr Lawal said.

He said that by sending a letter to the Department of Defense requesting details of contracts from P&ID affiliates, his team discovered that Marsh Pearl Limited had been awarded a contract in 2005 by the Department of Defense with Ms Taiga as a witness. .

According to Lawal, his team discovered that on December 30, 2019, Taiga received $ 4,969.50 through his daughter’s Marsh Pearl Ltd account, 11 days before signing the GSPA.

On January 30, 2012, the sum of $ 5,000 (five thousand US dollars) was also paid into her daughter’s HSBC bank account by Kristholm Limited, with the narration “commission payment”.

“We discovered that on January 30, 2012, the sum of $ 5,000 (five thousand US dollars) had also been deposited into her daughter’s account at HSBC Bank of London, located at Canada Street. The purpose of payment on the transaction is the commission payment. We obtained his declaration on this basis ”, Lawal said.

The Commission alleged that it received $ 4,969 from Marsh Pearl Ltd as commission for the execution of the GSPA and also received the $ 5,000 from Kristholm Limited due to the favor shown P&ID in relation to the executed GSPA. , an offense punishable under section 8 (1) (a) and (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Act 2000.

Charges against Ms. Taiga

Two of the multiple charges against Ms. Taiga read;

“That you, GRACE TAIGA (former Director of Legal Services at the Ministry of Petroleum Resources) on or around December 30, 2009 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, received by corruption the sum of USD 4,969.5 ( four thousand nine hundred Sixty-nine US dollars, five cents paid by Marshpearl Limited, a company controlled by the owners and promoters of Process and Industrial Development (P&ID) – to the HSBC bank account of your daughter, Enameg Vera Moses Taiga domiciled in n ° 8, Canada Square, London Branch of HSBC under the Gas Supply and Processing Agreement (GSPA) between the Department of Petroleum Resources of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and P&ID (a company incorporated and existing under the British Virgin Island Laws) which led to the execution of the GSPA during the year 2010 and you thereby committed an offense contrary to section 8 (1) (a) and (b) of the law on corrupt practices and other related offenses punishable by virtue thereof, 200 0. “

“That you, GRACE TAIGA (former Director of Legal Services at the Ministry of Petroleum Resources) on or around January 30, 2012 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, received by corruption the sum of USD 5,000 (five thousand US dollars) paid by Kristholm Limited – a company controlled by the owners and promoters of Process & Industrial Development Limited (P&ID) – to the HSBC account of your daughter, Enameg Vera Moses Taiga domiciled at No.8 Canada Square, London branch from HSBC, on behalf of the favor you have already shown to P&ID with respect to the Gas Supply and Processing Agreement (GSPA) between the Department of Petroleum Resources of the Federal Government of Nigeria and P&ID (a company incorporated and existing under the laws of the British Virgin Island) and you have thereby committed an offense to the contrary and punishable under section 8 (1) (a) and (b) of the s corrupt practices and other related offenses.

What you should know

• Nairametrics had reported that Ms Tega had been released on bail by the court in the amount of N30 million.
• On October 7, 2021, Ms Tega was brought to justice again by the EFCC on seven counts relating to money laundering offenses.
• She was arraigned again on January 10, 2022 on an amended charge of 13 counts.
• The search warrant, a response from the Department of Defense, details of the transactions and the certificate of compliance were produced by the prosecution as evidence and the court admitted them.
• The case was adjourned to March 8 and 16, 2022, for cross-examination of the witness.

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