Delay in EFCC’s Lawsuit as Hearing of $9.6bn P&ID Scam Against Absconding Briton Stalled

At the Federal High Court in Abuja, the hearing in two separate money laundering cases brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against British national James Nolan hit a snag on Wednesday.

Justice Donatus Okorowo was set to oversee the final written arguments of the involved parties, but the proceedings were halted as Nolan’s lawyer, Michael Ajara, failed to submit and serve the necessary documents to the EFCC’s legal counsel, Bala Sanga.

On November 20, 2023, Justice Okorowo had initially slated that day for the final arguments after Nolan, who had skipped bail and left Nigeria amidst the alleged $9.6 billion P&ID Ltd scandal, began his defense without calling any witnesses.

During the last adjourned date, Ajara informed the court that he did not plan to present any witnesses and would base his defense on the EFCC’s evidence, a stance unopposed by Sanga, leading to the scheduled hearing that day.

However, when the case was called on Wednesday, Ajara had not submitted the final written arguments, prompting him to request an adjournment to complete the required filings.

The attorney representing the EFCC, Christie Makar, who was standing in for Sanga, did not object to the request for an adjournment.

Consequently, Justice Okorowo postponed the proceedings until May 6 to allow for the adoption of the final written arguments.

The EFCC is pursuing charges against Trinity Biotech Nigeria Limited and Nolan in the case labeled FHC/ABJ/CR/272/2022 with Resorts Express Concept Nigeria Ltd and Corrado Fantoli as the defendants in a parallel case marked FHC/ABJ/CR/273/2022 before Justice Okorowo.

Fantoli, an associate of Nolan and linked to the alleged $9.6 billion P&ID fraud, remains at large and was arraigned in absentia on money laundering charges. Similarly, an arrest warrant was issued for Giovanna Beccarelli, also wanted in connection to the case.

The hunt continues for these individuals who are believed to be directors and signatories to the schemes involving several companies associated with the $9.6 billion scam.