P&ID scam: My client is dead – Grace Taiga’s lawyer tells court

Mr. Daniel Alumun, the counsel defending retired Director, Legal, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Grace Taiga, in the alleged P$ID bribery scam, has formally informed an FCT High Court of her death. Mrs. Grace Taiga was standing trial on allegations related to bribery in the controversial Gas Supply Processing Agreement (GSPA) between Process and Industrial Development (P&ID) and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

She was accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of receiving bribes through her offshore bank account in signing the controversial GSPA. The EFCC alleged that she violated various 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 (BPE).

Mrs. Taiga had pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against her.

During the course of the trial, the prosecution had amended the charges against her twice, initially to an 11-count charge and later to a 13-count charge. The prosecution had called eight witnesses to testify against the defendant and closed its case on February 27, 2023, after which the court directed the defendant to open her defense.

On Friday, Mr. Alumun informed the court that Mrs. Taiga had passed away on August 1, 2023, at a hospital in Abuja. He presented a letter from the hospital to notify the court of her demise.

The defense counsel requested the court to dismiss the charges in light of Mrs. Taiga’s death, but the EFCC counsel insisted that a death certificate must be produced in compliance with the law before the court could dismiss the case.

Justice Olukayode Adeniyi agreed with the prosecution’s submission and directed that a death certificate be produced before the court. The case was subsequently adjourned until January 24, 2024, for compliance with the law by the defense.