The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Counsel, Mohammed Hussain, asked on Wednesday in an FCT High Court that the death certificate of Grace Tiaga, a former director of legal services at the petroleum ministry, be submitted in court.
Taiga is on trial before Justice Olukayode Adeniyi on allegations of bribery in the contentious Gas Supply Processing Agreement (GSPA) between Process and Industrial Development (P&ID) and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The EFCC brought her before the court on an enhanced 13-count indictment that included bribery.
The anti-graft commission stated that Taiga got a bribe through her offshore bank account to sign the controversial GPSA.
The EFCC also claimed that she breached many laws by entering into the Agreement without prior approval from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and a certificate of no objection to the contract from the Bureau of Public Enterprise (PBE).
She, however, pled not guilty to the charges brought against her.
The deceased was originally arraigned before the court on September 20, 2019, in the case FCT/HC/CR/504/19, on an eight-court charge.
On October 3, 2020, the EFCC revised the allegation against the defendant to 11 counts, which were later modified to 13 counts on January 10, 2021.
The prosecution presented eight witnesses to testify against the defendant and finished its case on February 27, 2023, after which the court ordered the defendant to launch her defence.
At the case’s hearing on November 4, 2023, Taiga’s counsel, Daniel Alumun, informed the court that the defendant died on August 1, 2023, in an Abuja hospital.
Alumun tendered a letter, titled, “Hospital Death Declaration”, from Primus International Super Speciality Hospital, Karu New Extension, Abuja, to notify the court of the demise of Taiga.
In view of the unfortunate development, the defendant counsel, urged the court to dismiss the charge.
EFCC counsel however, insisted that a death certificate must be brought before the court by the defence in compliance with the law before the court could dismiss the case.
Justice Adeniyi then directed that a death certificate be produced before the court.
He then adjourned the case until today for compliance with the law by the defence.
When the matter came up today, the defendant counsel earlier told the court that the death certificate was not ready.
He prayed the court to allow him more time to get it.
The prosecuting counsel insisted that the certificate must be brought to the court as stipulated by the law before decision can be taken.
Justice Adeniyi however, adjourned until March 6, for further report on the death certificate.
(NAN)