Ednan Tofik ogly Agaev, former Russian ambassador to Colombia who is charged with international corruption over the OPL 245 affair, says he was pressured to mention a name in his interrogation by the FBI.

In the FBI interview, he named Mohammed Bello Adoke, former attorney-general of the federation, as one of the recipients of the $400 million bribes allegedly paid to government officials in the deal.

However, when the FBI statement was read to him in a Milanese court on Wednesday and he was asked to adopt it as part of his defence, Agaev declined.

He told the court he was under pressure to mention a name during the interview and he mentioned Adoke, adding that he didn’t mean for the interview to be used against him in court.

Adoke has vehemently denied taking any bribes in the deal which was concluded in 2011 under his watch as Nigeria’s chief law officer.

However, he has been charged to court for money laundering in an Abuja court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly receiving $2.2 million bribe in the OPL 245 deal.

He has denied the charging, maintaining out that a failed mortgage transaction of 2013 was being twisted by the anti-graft agency to victimise him.

THE OPL 245 SAGA

On April 9, 1998, the federal military government awarded OPL 245 to Malabu Oil and Gas Ltd, which was said to be owned mainly by Mohammed Abacha, son of the Sani Abacha, and Don Etete, who was the petroleum minister at the time.

On July 2, 2001, President Olusegun Obasanjo revoked Malabu’s licence and assigned the oil block to Shell — without a public bid. Malabu went to court, and ownership was reverted to it in 2006 after it reached an out-of-court settlement with the federal government.

Shell fought back and commenced arbitration against Nigeria, but when President Goodluck Jonathan came to power in 2010, the controversy appeared to have been resolved with Shell and Eni agreeing to buy the oil block from Malabu for $1.1 billion.

The oil companies also paid $210 million as signature bonus to the federal government of Nigeria.

Both payments were made to the federal government account at JP Morgan, London, from where Malabu’s share was transferred to Nigerian bank accounts of Abubakar Aliyu, owner of AA Oil Ltd.

However, investigators are trying to establish that the bulk of the payment to Malabu was distributed as kickbacks and that the IOCs were in the know of the alleged sleaze.

TRIAL CONTINUES…

In Italy on Wednesday, Agaev appeared in court as a defendant as the trial of what is dubbed “the greatest corporate scandal in history” continued.

Barnaby Pace of the Global Witness — the UK-based body that has been at the forefront of the amplification of the OPL 245 affair — livetweeted from the court.

Source: https://ngg.ng/2019/06/27/malabu-scandal-i-was-pressured-to-implicate-adoke-says-russian-suspect/
Lalasticlala OAM4J, Mynd44

Apc are known as party of propaganda and lies. now ex AGF will win his case in the court.

Johnnyessence:
Apc are known as party of propaganda and lies. now ex AGF will win his case in the court.

Are you aware that Agaev made the statement he’s now denying in a Milan court to FBI investigators in the presence of his lawyer? Are you aware the Milan court yesterday admitted Agaev’s FBI testimony as valid evidence? How did APC even enter this matter? Did APC force Agaev to voluntarily make the statement to FBI investigators or what?

See, it is not compulsory to comment. If you don’t understand a case well, just ignore or do a thorough research before posting a comment.

Johnnyessence:
Apc are known as party of propaganda and lies. now ex AGF will win his case in the court.

What has APC got to with this?
is your brain paining you??

simonlee:

What has APC got to with this?
is your brain paining you??

don't be ignorant here. isn't Apc government that ordered for his trial niiiii.

seunmsg:


Are you aware that Agaev made the statement he’s now denying in a Milan court to FBI investigators in the presence of his lawyer? Are you aware the Milan court yesterday admitted Agaev’s FBI testimony as valid evidence? How did APC even enter this matter? Did APC force Agaev to voluntarily make the statement to FBI investigators or what?

See, it is not compulsory to comment. If you don’t understand a case well, just ignore or do a thorough research before posting a comment.

Is it not Apc that ordered for his trial niiiii. Apc only want to set ex AGF adoke up. it will not work. Efcc will lose their case against him. post the source where they claim that their evidences is genuine. stop blowing your lies and propaganda here OK.

Johnnyessence:
Is it not Apc that ordered for his trial niiiii. Apc only want to set ex AGF adoke up. it will not work. Efcc will lose their case against him. post the source where they claim that their evidences is genuine. stop blowing your lies and propaganda here OK.

This thread is about the trial of shell, Eni and others in Milan and not about Adoke’s case in Nigeria. Try and understand the difference. And yes, the court admitted the FBI statement yesterday. You can go on twitter to check out the thread. Attached is a screenshot.

seunmsg:


This thread is about the trial of shell, Eni and others in Milan and not about Adoke’s case in Nigeria. Try and understand the difference. And yes, the court admitted the FBI statement yesterday. You can go on twitter to check out the thread. Attached is a screenshot.

read full details from this new OK.
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/06/malabu-scandal-russian-middleman-reverses-self-clears-ex-president-jonathan-of-bribery-claim/

Johnnyessence:
read full details from this new OK.
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/06/malabu-scandal-russian-middleman-reverses-self-clears-ex-president-jonathan-of-bribery-claim/

Vanguard got the story from the twitter handle that I screenshot. Go to twitter, read for yourself and get properly informed. I’m done with your ignorant argument.

seunmsg:


Vanguard got the story from the twitter handle that I screenshot. Go to twitter, read for yourself and get properly informed. I’m done with your ignorant argument.

the Russian have reversed himself yesterday. vanguard newspaper have clarified that OK.