Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court, Abuja has fixed December 13 for the commencement of trial of a British national, James Nolan for his alleged complicity in the controversial Process and Industrial Development gas processing contract, leading to the $9.6billion arbitral award to P&ID Limited by a United Kingdom commercial court.
Two British nationals, James Nolan and Adam Quinn (now at large) were on Monday re-arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Okorowo of the Abuja Federal High Court.
However, Quinn, who is still at large, was not available to take his plea prompting the prosecuting counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, to request that his plea be recorded as “guilty” which the judge granted.
The defendants, both directors of Goidel Resources Limited – a Designated Non-Financial Institution (DNFI) – and ICIL Limited, were re-arraigned on 32 counts bordering on money laundering.
Count 21 of the charge read: “That you, ICIL LIMITED, JAMES RICHARD NOLAN and ADAM QUINN (at large) between January and December 2008 in Abuja within the Abuja Judicial Division of the Federal High Court, used the total sum of N52,202,392.91 when you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed proceed of your unlawful activities to wit: tax evasion and failure to submit value added tax returns, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15 (2) (d) and punishable under section 15 (3) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012).
Another count read, “That you, ICIL LIMITED, JAMES RICHARD NOLAN and ADAM QUINN (at large) between January and December 2009 in Abuja within the Abuja Judicial Division of the Federal High Court, used the total sum of N26,366,748.91 when you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed proceed of your unlawful activities to wit: tax evasion and failure to submit value added tax returns, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15 (2) (d) and punishable under section 15 (3) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012).”
After the charges were read to them, Nolan pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charges.
Sequel to his not guilty plea, the prosecuting counsel, Iheanacho asked the court to fix a date for trial.
On his part, the defence counsel, Micheal Ajara, applied to the court for the defendant to continue enjoying the bail granted to him by the former judge, Justice Okon Abang, which the prosecuting counsel did not oppose.
Justice Okorowo, therefore adjourned the matter until December 13 for the commencement of the trial.