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The trial of a former Director, Legal Services of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Grace Taiga, for alleged fraud in the case involving Process and Industrial Development Limited (P&ID) before Justice O.A Adeniyi of the Federal Capital Territory High Court Abuja continued today, March 8, 2022, with the cross-examination of fourth Prosecution Witness, PW4, Aminu Lawal.
Led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel, the witness explained the various role of the defendant in the controversial Gas Supply Processing Agreement, GSPA, between Nigeria and promoters of the Process and Industrial Development Limited, P&ID
Lawal informed the court that he was part of a team that investigated the Gas Supply Processing Agreement, GSPA, which he said was signed on January 11, 2010, between the Federal government of Nigeria and Process and Industrial Development Limited, P&ID. “What we concentrated on as our mandate, was the circumstances surrounding the GSPA.”
The witness further disclosed that the defendant acted as the legal adviser to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources when the agreement was signed.
PW4 also informed the court that the defendant received two payments from entities linked to P&ID, which the investigation narrowed down to commission.
First, he said a HSBC Bank account in the UK, belonging to Vera Moses Taiga Enameh, daughter of the defendant, received a commission of Four Thousand, Nine Hundred and Sixty Nine United States Dollar, Fifty Cents ($4969.50).
“Based on the statement of account, we discover that, on December 30, 2009, $4969.50 was sent by Marsh Pearl Ltd. Marsh Pearl Ltd is a company controlled and owned by the promoters of P&ID. The money was paid to Vera Moses Taiga Enameh. The purpose of that payment according to our record here shows that exhibit B21, was commission payment.
“The second one, on January 30, 2012, money was paid by Khristolm Ltd. The owners of Khristolm Ltd were Brendan Cahill and Micheal Quinn, and the purpose was commission payment,” he stated.
According to the witness, from “our investigation, the GSPA was signed here in Nigeria. We can’t say this is the office where the GSPA was signed, but we know that the GSPA was signed here in Nigeria. People who signed the GSPA, we have the late Rilwanu lukman, the then Minister of Petroleum; the defendant, Grace Taiga, the then Legal Director; the late Michael Qiunn and Muhammed Kuchazi. The defendant witnessed the agreement; she also drafted the agreement on behalf of the Federal Government.”
The judge adjourned the matter till April 14, 2022 for continuation of trial.
