A Federal High Court judge, David Okorowo, disqualified himself from hearing the $180 million Halliburton bribery scandal on Tuesday, after the federal government failed to produce the accused persons in court.

Three weeks ago, the attorney general of the federation and minister of justice, Bello Adoke, assured that the suspects involved in the case would be arraigned in court. However, when the matter came up yesterday, there were no suspects in court.

The Federal government’s counsel, Olu Fatunde, informed the court that he had yet to serve the suspects with court processes. Mr. Okorowo said the matter could not be mentioned if the suspects were not in court and had not been served yet. He sent the case file to the chief judge for re-assignment to another judge and adjourned the suit, pending when it is assigned.

“I have no jurisdiction to entertain this matter,” declared Mr. Okorowo.

Scrambling for explanations

Several foreign companies, most notably the U.S. oil and gas giant, Halliburton, are accused of paying bribes worth millions of dollars to high-ranking government officials during the process to award the contract for Africa’s first liquefied natural gas plant in 2002 and 2003.

Mr. Adoke, who just returned from a trip to the UK, admitted that the suspects have not been formally served, despite being charged last week.

“The files were returned because the suspects have not been formally charged,” he said.

The attornery general added that the defendants would be served tomorrow and a new trial date would be “formally announced.”

However, in an earlier interview with NEXT, he promised that all those involved in the scam would be charged to court.

The suspects include some of the nation’s most powerful people, but Mr. Adoke assured that the trial would be conducted without bias, as it would boost President Goodluck Jonathan’s anti-corruption credentials as the 2011 elections approached.

Though Mr. Adoke’s counsel refused to release the charges to the press, suspects to be arraigned are George Mark, the former personal assistant to ex-president, Olusegun Obasanjo ; Ibrahim Aliyu, a former federal permanent secretary; Hans George Christ; Heinrich J. Stockhausen; Julius Berger Nigeria Plc; Bilfinger Berger GMBH; AVM Abdullahi Dominic Bello; Mohammed Gidado Bakare; Urban Shelter Limited; Intercellular Nigeria Limited; Sheerwood Petroleum Limited; Tri-Star Investment Limited; Maizube Holdings Limited; TSKJ Nigeria Limited - (a) Technip S.A.; (b)Snamprogetti Netherlands B.V.; (c) Kellog Brown and Root Inc.; (d) Japan Gasoline Corporation of Japan.

Already in US courts

A court in the United States has already begun prosecution of the case.

In 2008, one of the suspects, Albert J. Stanley, admitted that he orchestrated more than $180 million in bribes to senior government officials in Nigeria. Mr. Stanley said that the bribes were channelled through a UK-based lawyer, Jeffery Tesler, in four installments of $60 million, $32.5 million, $51 million, and $23 million between 1995 and 2005 in London.

Top government officials and their accomplices stashed the funds in private accounts in France, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Portugal, and The Seychelles.

Last week, $130 million worth of funds were uncovered in Mr. Tesler’s account in Switzerland and frozen by the US government.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5616299-146/judge_disqualifies_self_from_180m_halliburton.csp

“The files were returned because the suspects have not been formally charged,” he said.

The attornery general added that the defendants would be served tomorrow and a new trial date would be “formally announced.”

Dumb excuse! The suspects have not been formally charged and yet the trial date has been fixed. Are you all now amateur lawyers that you skip procedures so brazenly? Let the music play on . . .

slap1:

Dumb excuse! The suspects have not been formally charged and yet the trial date has been fixed. Are you all now amateur lawyers that you skip procedures so brazenly? Let the music play on . . .

It's all planned out. . . .

If it were to be fake corps members, case would have been tried sharp sharp. Don't mind these rogues in wigs.

The day of judgement will definately come for all these criminals in high places.

The judge simply feels intimidated by the personalities behind this scam and so decided it was best to chicken-out.

This is obviously a judge who is 'in it' for the money and the glory. He should either resign or be sacked. We have seen too many judges who like to take the easy way out when confronted with cases that have accused persons whose clout, background and followership portend trouble. I dont see any other reason why this judge should recuse himself.

WHY IS THAT PEOPLE LIKE WOLE SHOYINKA, FEMI FALANA, NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION etc. ARE KEEPING QUIET ABOUT A CASE OF SUCH MAGNITUDE AND THE WAY IT IS BEEN HANDLED OR IS IT BECAUSE OBASANJO NAME IS IN THIS CASE. YORUBA SOLIDARITY abi ANYWAY I DEY SALUTE UNA.

vicknesh:

WHY IS THAT PEOPLE LIKE WOLE SHOYINKA, FEMI FALANA, NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION etc. ARE KEEPING QUIET ABOUT A CASE OF SUCH MAGNITUDE AND THE WAY IT IS BEEN HANDLED OR IS IT BECAUSE OBASANJO NAME IS IN THIS CASE. YORUBA SOLIDARITY abi ANYWAY I DEY SALUTE UNA.

we the Yorubas are number one enemy of obj so we will make sure we try our best to JAIL him for this.

goodluck jonathan is a green snake in a green grass. first of all he excluded obj name from the case and now the culprits are not presented. but just two days ago efcc were ransacking states supporting zoning. therefore those that think goodluck will be a good president and is not obj puppet should have a rethink,

vicknesh:

goodluck jonathan is a green snake in a green grass. first of all he excluded obj name from the case and now the culprits are not presented. but just two days ago efcc were ransacking states supporting zoning. therefore those that think goodluck will be a good president and is not obj puppet should have a rethink,

That is what is called NIGER AREA

vicknesh:

WHY IS THAT PEOPLE LIKE WOLE SHOYINKA, FEMI FALANA, NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION etc. ARE KEEPING QUIET ABOUT A CASE OF SUCH MAGNITUDE AND THE WAY IT IS BEEN HANDLED OR IS IT BECAUSE OBASANJO NAME IS IN THIS CASE. YORUBA SOLIDARITY abi ANYWAY I DEY SALUTE UNA.

Lwkmd at your st.Upidit¥ and ignorance. To what extent will Soyinka, Falana and NBA's opening up take the case? By the way, who told you they've been quiet?!

BUT IF IT IBB OIL WIND FALL CASE . YOU WILL SEE ALL THIS SYCOPHANTS FEMI FALANA, WOLE SOYINKA , etc SHOUTING FOUL

slap1:

Lwkmd at your st.Upidit¥ and ignorance. To what extent will Soyinka, Falana and NBA's opening up take the case? By the way, who told you they've been quiet?!

The judge don use style style commot in head for the matter, abi you won make dem kill the man.

vicknesh:

BUT IF IT IBB OIL WIND FALL CASE . YOU WILL SEE ALL THIS SYCOPHANTS FEMI FALANA, WOLE SOYINKA , etc SHOUTING FOUL

Abeg pity slap 1 now. . .im justdey try use brain small small

Nigeria!!!!

reindeer:


Abeg pity slap 1 now. . .im justdey try use brain small small

You need all the pity you can get, I think. You're not making any sense, brother!

Na wao!

The judge simply feels intimidated by the personalities behind this scam and so decided it was best to chicken-out.

This is obviously a judge who is 'in it' for the money and the glory. He should either resign or be sacked. We have seen too many judges who like to take the easy way out when confronted with cases that have accused persons whose clout, background and followership portend trouble. I dont see any other reason why this judge should recuse himself.

Report

Bruv you spoke my mind,

@ vicknesh

Face the fact, Can you bite the finger that fed you? I bet you 10,000 times if you were in the same position, under such circumstances you will do the same, For crying out loud, this is the man that made him president, How can he possibly turn him over?

There is more on the issue than the eye can see. Threat and intimidation may be the reasons. I hope and pray that the new judge will be the type who will not Compromise just for person gains

By next years election, this would have been swept under the carpet.
Things will always be done the nigerian way in nigeria.

if you want progress go somewhere else.

If you live here in Nigeria you are living in the world's most corrupt country. This is what you get in such a country. Every institution in Nigeria is corrupt private and governmental. This sorts of things happens everyday, this halliburton case just happen to come out to the open because reputable countries like U.S who would not tolerate corruption are involved. Nigeria have a serious leadership problem.

WHY IS THAT PEOPLE LIKE WOLE SHOYINKA, FEMI FALANA, NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION etc. ARE KEEPING QUIET ABOUT A CASE OF SUCH MAGNITUDE AND THE WAY IT IS BEEN HANDLED OR IS IT BECAUSE OBASANJO NAME IS IN THIS CASE. YORUBA SOLIDARITY abi ANYWAY I DEY SALUTE UNA.


I hope it is not because Prof Kongi's daugher is a top Govt appointee that caused the sealed lips over this matter.Kongi abeg yarn !