The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr Mohammed Bello-Adoke has debunked claims that the federal government will not prosecute oil marketers indicted by the House of Representatives ad-hoc Committee on the probe of petroleum subsidy.
The Justice Minister, who spoke through his counsel, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo in Abuja, at a press conference on Thursday, said that the government was following the principle of rule of law.
According to the AGF “no fact finding committee can indict a person except the police, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offenses Commission (ICPC)”.
He stressed that indicted oil marketers will be prosecuted by the federal government as soon as the relevant investigating agencies complete their investigations.
Mr. Adoke confirmed that the federal government will be heading to court next week to file charges against the indicted companies and officials saying, “if next week the report of the investigating agencies on any of oil companies indicted by the House of Representatives committee is out and it is reliable and conclusive, the federal government will go to court and prosecute the company”.
This is coming despite a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja on Wednesday which barred the federal government from implementing the fuel subsidy report by not prosecuting any official of the Integrated Oil and Gas Limited, which filed the suit.
The court ordered the federal government to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the originating summons filed by the company.
