Alleged $200,000 Bribe: Court Announces Date For Ex-Lagos AG Shasore’s Trial

Olasupo Shasore

The trial of Olasupo Shasore, the former Lagos attorney-general charged with an alleged bribe of $200,000 will begin on April 4 at an Ikeja Special Offences Court.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on October 21 arraigned Shasore on a two-count charge bordering on corrupt offers.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Justice Mojisola Dada adjourned the case on Tuesday after the lead defence counsel, Chijioke Okoli (SAN), moved and applications, seeking the adjournment of the case.

Okoli told the court that defence had filed an application dated December 2 to seek for an adjournment.

He added there was need for adjournment because defence needed more documents from the prosecution.

The EFCC counsel Bala Sanga had informed the court that he was ready to proceed with trial as that was the business of the day.

“The matter was adjourned until today for trial, and we have two witnesses in court and we are ready.

“We, however, confirm the receipt of the defence application and will not be objecting as long as the defence accept that the adjournment is at their instance.

“My lord, on the request of the defence for more documents, I want to inform the court that this is one case out of about 103 cases on investigations going on around Process and Industrial Developments Ltd, P&ID.

“At the moment, there are roughly at least 21 ongoing criminal trials and what that means is that apart from the trials, we have 153 files, with volume of papers running up to more than 30,000.

“We can only volunteer to give them what we can, because the law says what requires is proof of evidence not proof of defence. We are more than happy to oblige them with documents that are relevant,” he said.

According to the prosecution, the defendant allegedly gave $100,000 to Olufolakemi Adelore (then Director, Legal, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources) on account of the role she played in the arbitral proceedings instituted by Process and Industrial Developments Ltd (P&ID) against the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

The prosecution also submitted that the defendant allegedly gave the sum of $100,000 to Ikechukwu Oguine (Secretary to the corporation and coordinator, Legal Services, NNPC) on account of the role he played in the arbitral proceedings instituted by Process and Industrial Developments Ltd (P&ID) against the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

The anti graft agency said the alleged offences are contrary to and punishable under Section 9(1) (a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.