Alleged P&ID Scam: Court dismisses Briton's bail variation application

The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, dismissed the application for bail variation filed by a British national, James Nolan.

In his ruling on Monday, the judge, Okon Abang, said the application lacked merit.

Mr Abang said he wondered why Mr Nolan can not defend himself of the allegation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) that he forged his resident permit.

The judge added that if granted bail, Mr Nolan might jump bail.

Mr Abang said, “I took a risk in admitting the third defendant (Mr Nolan) to bail.”

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the judge on November 7 granted Mr Nolan a bail of N500 million.

Mr Abang had also ordered the applicant to produce a surety in like sum, who must be a Nigerian and a serving senator not standing any criminal trial in any court in Nigeria.

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The judge held that the proposed surety must submit a three years tax clearance certificate and sign an undertaking to always be present in court with the defendant throughout the trial.

“The senator must have a landed property fully developed in Maitama District of Abuja and fully certified by the FCDA.

”The surety must submit two passport photographs,” Mr Abang had ruled.

The court also ordered Mr Nolan to surrender all his international passports, even as it mandated the Nigerian Immigration Service to confirm how many passports that were issued to him within the past 20 years.

Following the argument of the prosecution and defence lawyer on Monday, Justice Abang said the application lacked merit and adjourned to December 10 for the continuation of trial; meaning Mr Nolan would continue to be in detention until he meets the bail conditions.

Backstory

This newspaper had reported how the anti-graft agency on October 21 arraigned Mr Nolan and Adam Quinn (at large), both British nationals, over their alleged complicity in the $9.6 billion judgment against Nigeria.

Process and Industrial Development (P&ID), an Irish engineering company, had secured the award against Nigeria, following the non-execution of a supply processing agreement (GSPA) the company had with the federal government.

Mr Nolan and another accused person, Adam Quinn (who is still at large), were docked on a 32-count charge of money laundering, the charge coming weeks after they were convicted over the deal.

They were arraigned by the EFCC on October 21 and Mr Nolan pleaded not guilty.

The defendants are both directors of Goidel Resources Limited, a Designated Non-Financial Institution (DNFI), and ICIL Limited, firms that they allegedly used for money laundering. Mr Nolan is also said to be a signatory to P&ID accounts.