An FCT High Court sitting in Apo on Monday granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) leave to arraign former petroleum resources minister Diezani Alison-Madueke on February 25, 2019.
Former chairman of Atlantic Energy Drilling Company Olajide Omokore will also be arraigned.
Mrs Alison-Madueke and Mr Omokore will be arraigned on five counts bordering on conspiracy and illegal act of accepting and giving gratifications.
The duo will be facing trial for allegedly accepting and giving gift of property described as penthouse 22 Block B Admiralty Estate Ikoyi, and penthouse 21 building 5 block C, Banana Island, Lagos.
Trial judge Justice Valentine Ashi granted the permission after prosecution counsel Faruk Abdullahi told the court that while investigations were on, the former minister left the country and is currently in the UK.
Justice Ashi also ordered the EFCC to put its house in order.
Mr Abdullahi alleged that Alison–Madueke refused to honour an invitation to appear at the commission’s headquarters but that all processes have been set in place to ensure she comes back to face trial.
The EFCC said the alleged offence contravened the provisions of Sections 26(1) and 17 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
Counsel for the second defendant Tayo Adeniyo (SAN) told the court that his client was not served with the charges but was ready to clear his name.
The EFCC had on November 11 confirmed that the process to bring back Alison-Madueke from the UK had begun.
Minister of justice and attorney-general of the federation Abubakar Malami in October 2017 said that Nigeria had no immediate plan to bring the 57-year-old back home to face trial.
Alison-Madueke, who is being investigated in the UK, had urged the Nigerian Government to have her repatriated to Nigeria to face corruption charges against her.
