Hearing in the N10.2bn suit filed against Dino Melaye by Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) could not continue as scheduled on Thursday, after the AGF served court process on the defendants just a day before the hearing.
According to defence lawyer, Anthony Itedjere, his clients were only served copies of Adoke’s reply on point of law to defendants’ written address filed on September 4, 2013, on Wednesday.
Justice Olasumbo Goodluck, therefore, granted Itedjere’s request for more time to analyse the documents, adjourning to December 5.
Represented by five Senior Advocates of Nigeria — Robert Clarke, Bolaji Ayorinde, Ahmed Raji, Babajide Koku and Donald Denigwe — Adoke had sued Melaye and the Anti-Corruption Network (ACN) for damaging his reputation in a petition to President Goodluck Jonathan.
In the petition circulated on April 11, Melaye and ACN listed incidents of alleged “graft” and “outrageous use of powers against public interest” by the AGF, who is now claiming N10.2bn in damages and cost against Melaye and his group.
Both Melaye and ACN urged the court to dismiss the suit, questioning the professional competence and integrity of the AGF, andalleging that he was corrupt in his role in the controversial Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 245 allocated to Malabu Oil and Gas Limited owned by former Petroleum Minister, Chief Dan Etete. They also accused Adoke of working to “castrate and frustrate” EFCC and ICPC from investigating and prosecuting corruption and other economic and financial crimes in the country.
Responding, however, Adoke branded the allegations “embarrassing, scandalous, vexatious, disclosing no defence to the action and an abuse of the process of the court,” prayinf the court to discountenance the defendants’ argument and strike out the portion of their defence containing allegations of corruption and abuse of office against him.
