Alleged P&ID scam: Briton applies for bail variation

A Briton, James Nolan, on Wednesday applied for variation of his bail at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that EFCC had, on Oct. 21, arraigned Nolan and Adam Quinn (at large), both British nationals, over their alleged complicity in the 9.6 billion dollars judgment against Nigeria. Process and Industrial Development (P&ID), an Irish engineering company, had secured the award against Nigeria following the non-execution of a 20-year gas and supply processing agreement (GSPA) the company had with the federal government.

The arraignment of the two British nationals is coming weeks after two P&ID directors were convicted over the deal.

The defendants, both directors of Goidel Resources Limited, a Designated Non-Financial Institution (DNFI) and ICIL Limited, were arraigned on a 16-count charge bordering on money laundering. Justice Okon Abang had, on Nov. 7, admitted Nolan to a bail in the sum of N500 million.

Justice Abang, who granted the bail in an application filed by Nolan, ordered that the applicant must produce “a surety in like sum, who must be a Nigerian and a serving senator not standing any criminal trial in any court in Nigeria.

At the resumed trial on Wednesday, Counsel to the defendant, Paul Erokoro, SAN, prayed the court to favourably grant their application for bail variation. The lawyer also told the court that he was not prepare for the commencement of trial due to inability to have adequate access to his client.

The EFCC, through his lawyer, had informed the court that he was ready to commence the trial earlier slated for today.