Jide Omokore has denied stealing 3 billion dollars. In a statement by his counsel, R. A Lawal-Rabana, SAN…

“We act as solicitors to Jide Omokore and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Limited. Our attention has been drawn to a release from the office of the Vice President captioned ‘Grand Corruption in Jonathan era: Osinbajo releases details,’ in which he listed Mr Jide Omokore, alongside with Kola Aluko and Diezani Alison- Maduekwe as having stolen $3b from NNPC on a so called NNPC Strategic Alliance Contract.”

“As counsel that is involved in representing Jide Omokore in court, we wish to state as follows: That Jide Omokore has not in concert with anybody stolen $3bn as contained in the statement.”

“The relationship between Jide Omokore’s company, Atlantic Energy with NNPC/NPDC is well documented as a commercial transaction of which there has been part performance. There is nothing illegal or fraudulent about the transaction.”

“The matter is already before the court of law in a criminal proceeding yet to be concluded and there is no pronouncement of guilt or corruption against our client. “The rule of law requires that a man is presumed innocent until adjudged guilty through a fair judicial process. Therefore, in this case, we wonder where the emphatic conclusion from the office of the vice President came from.”

“In the best tradition of the bar, when a matter is subjudice, as senior counsel, I will not delve into the merit or otherwise of the ongoing trial except to say and caution against prejudicing the public and the entire judicial process.”

“We therefore, urge the office of the vice president to exercise restraint in branding people as corrupt without a judicial pronouncement to that effect.”

“In conclusion, having regard to the facts and circumstances of this particular case, we believe that the office of the vice president has been misinformed.”