The fourth prosecution witness in the ongoing Process and Industrial Development Limited (P&ID) case involving Mrs Grace Taiga has told the court how Taiga allegedly received $4969 and $5000 through her daughter’s account as commission for awarding contract.
Mrs Taiga, a former Director, Legal Services of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 13 count amended charges bordering on alleged Money Laundering and fraud.
She pleaded not guilty to the charges proffered against her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
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Witness testimony
The fourth prosecution witness, Aminu Lawal, an operative of the EFCC told the court that his team received a petition dated June 28, 2018, which had a directive from the Presidency ordering an investigation into the Gas Processing Supply Agreement (GSPA).
He said, during the investigation, he found out that Mrs Taiga drafted the GSPA while working at the Ministry of Petroleum Resources as Director, Legal, and there were so many discrepancies on it which included an unsigned agreement.
“We discovered one unsigned agreement between the Ministry of Defense and Khristolm Limited, a company owned and controlled by P&ID Limited and the promoters of P&ID are Michael Quinn, Brendan Cahill, James Nolan and Niel Hitchob,” Mr Lawal said.
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He said upon sending a letter to the Ministry of Defence requesting for contract details of companies affiliated to P&ID, his team found out that Marsh Pearl Limited was awarded a contract in 2005 by the Ministry of Defence with Mrs Taiga as witness.
According to Mr Lawal, his team discovered that on December 30, 2019, Taiga received $4969.50 through her daughter’s account from Marsh Pearl Ltd, 11 days before signing the GSPA.
On January 30, 2012, the sum of $5000 (Five Thousand United States Dollars) was also paid into her daughter’s HSBC Bank account by Kristholm Limited, with narration “commission payment”.
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“We discovered that on January 30, 2012, the sum of $5000 (Five Thousand United States Dollars) was also paid into her daughter’s account at HSBC Bank, London, located at Canada Street. The purpose of the payment on the transaction is commission payment. We obtained her statement based on that,” Lawal said.
The Commission alleged she received $4969 from Marsh Pearl Ltd as Commission in executing the GSPA and also received the $5,000 from Kristholm Limited on account of the favour showed P&ID in relation to the GSPA executed, an offence punishable under section 8(1)(a) and (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Charges against Mrs Taiga
Two amongst the multiple charges against Mrs Taiga reads;
“That you GRACE TAIGA (former Director of Legal Services in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources) on or about the 30th of December, 2009 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court corruptly received the sum of USD4969.5 (Four Thousand Nine Hundred and Sixty-nine United States Dollars, Five Cents paid by Marshpearl Limited, a company controlled by the owners and promoters of Process and Industrial Development (P&ID)- into HSBC bank account of your daughter, Enameg Vera Moses Taiga domiciled at No.8, Canada Square, London branch of HSBC in relation to Gas Supply and Processing Agreement(GSPA) between the Ministry of Petroleum Resources of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and P&ID( a company incorporated and existing under the laws of the British Virgin Island) which led to the execution of the GSPA sometime in the year 2010 and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 8(1)(a) and (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act,2000.”
“That you GRACE TAIGA (former Director of Legal Services in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources) on or about the 30th of January, 2012 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court corruptly received the sum of USD 5000 (Five Thousand United States Dollars) paid by Kristholm Limited- a company controlled by the owners and promoters of Process & Industrial Development Limited (P&ID)- into the HSBC account of your daughter, Enameg Vera Moses Taiga domiciled at No.8 Canada Square, London branch of HSBC, on account of the favour you already showed P&ID in relation to the Gas Supply and Processing Agreement (GSPA) executed between the Ministry of Petroleum Resources of the Federal Government of Nigeria and P&ID ( a company incorporated and existing under the laws of the British Virgin Island) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 8(1)(a) and (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”
What you should know
- Nairametrics had reported that Mrs Tega was granted bail by the court in the sum of N30 million.
- On October 7, 2021, Mrs Tega was re-arraigned by the EFCC on a seven-count charge bordering on money laundering offences.
- She was again arraigned on January 10 2022 on a 13-count amended charge.
- Search warrant, a response from the Ministry of Defence, Details of Transactions and Certificate of Compliance were tendered by the prosecution in evidence and the court admitted them.
- The matter was adjourned for March 8 and 16, 2022, for cross-examination of the witness.
