Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of the FCT High Court sitting in Maitama has struck out a 13-count charge of bribery filed by the EFCC against the former director of legal, Ministry of Petroleum Resources Grace Taiga over her death.
At the resumed sitting the judge struck out the case after counsel to Mrs Tiaga presented her death certificate to the court.
The death of a defendant automatically terminates the charges against such defendant.
This is the case of Grace Tiaga as her lawyers presented a death certificate obtained from the National Populations Commission to the court confirming that she died on 1st August 2023 at a hospital in Abuja.
Mrs Taiga was standing trial on allegations of bribery in the controversial Gas Supply Processing Agreement (GSPA) between Process and Industrial Development (P&ID) and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The EFCC had alleged that she received the bribe through her offshore bank account in signing the controversial GPSA.
The EFCC had closed its case against her after calling 8 witnesses.
She was to open her defence when her counsel informed the court of her demise.
At the last adjournment, counsel to Mrs. Taiga had presented a letter, titled, “Hospital Death Declaration”, from Primus International Super Specialty Hospital, Karu New Extension, Abuja, to notify the court of her death.
Counsel to the EFCC had insisted on her death certificate, which was presented today.
