SHELL PLC A coalition of local and international anti-corruption groups has asked the Nigerian media "to protect public interest and the integrity of the judiciary by ensuring professional ethics in the report of the scam associated with OPL 245."
OPL 245 is the oil block for which
The money did not go to the Nigerian government but ended up, largely, in the hands of private individuals including a former petroleum minister,
The matter is being investigated in at least five countries with some of the accused prosecuted in
The groups that released the Sunday statement said it was sub-judicial for a section of the media to attempt a verdict while the judicial process is yet to run its full cause.
Read the full statement by the groups below.
OPL 245: Nigerians alerted on plans to subvert justice
PRESS STATEMENT
A coalition of local and international anti-corruption movements have alerted Nigerians on what appears an orchestrated plot to thwart corruption charges against oil giants associated with OPL 245 scam in which the country was swindled through a cobweb of criminal gangs.
In a statement on Sunday, the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), Re-Common, Cornerhouse and Global Witness asked the Nigerian media to protect public interest and the integrity of the judiciary by ensuring professional ethics in the report of the scam associated with OPL 245.
The statement was signed by
The groups said it was sub-judicial for a section of the media to attempt a verdict while the judicial process is yet to run its full cause.
The groups said a section of the media had chosen to comment on proceedings that are partisan, inaccurate and misleading commentary aimed at influencing the outcome of a trial before it has run its full course. It says such media interference constitutes a serious threat to justice.
The OPL 245 is one of
It later witnessed a string of dirty deals spanning 20 years.
The coalition said recent media reports were veiled attempts to prorect oil giants and former public officers associated with the scam by attacking the credibility of the prosecutors in charge of the case in
The groups said having attended the trial, they could attest to the professionalism of the prosecutor, whose probity has never been questioned by the Tribunal or the defendants' legal teams, which include some of
They noted that the trial has stretched over two years and has generated hours of testimony.
The groups said "Thisday's article misleadingly focusses on a few minutes in one hearing nearly 18 months ago to allege that the Prosecutor hid key facts relating to Mr Adoke's mortgage. In fact, the Prosecutor has been entirely candid. Evidence relating to mortgage repayments was included in the Prosecutor's file submitted to the Court when the trial opened and additional evidence has been filed during the trial."
They observed that most recently, on
"It is our understanding that this included (inter alia) full details of money flows into and out of Mr Adoke's account at
They jointly criticised attempts to rubbish the
The coalition said the Thisday article was published on the same day that a report by British academics found that
The anti-corruption leaders said it would be a great pity if the EFCC's hard-earned reputation was undermined by ill-informed opinions adding that pulling down the EFCC to satisfy the interests of a corrupt few will undermine sustainable growth and development in
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