Italian authorities investigating the mega deal had provided evidence to the court indicating the involvement of the former president.
The court, presided by Justice Edis, said based on the evidence presented before it, “Fortunato”, meaning “the lucky one” in Italian, was implicated in the deal.
“The suggestion from the wiretaps is that “Fortunato” was implicated and I am told that this was a reference in code (not subtle) to the former President of Nigeria, President Goodluck Jonathan,” the judge said.
By this revelation, “Fortunato”, is added to the long list of names Nigerians call the former president.
The court however refused to release the remaining balance of $85 million (N17 billion) to Malabu for the sell of Africa’s richest oil bloc, OPL 245 to oil giants Shell and ENi.
In refusing to release the money to Malabu, Justice Edis of the Southwark Crown Court declared that he was not sure the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan acted in Nigeria’s interest when it approved the transfer of the money to Malabu.
“I cannot simply assume that the FGN which was in power in 2011 and subsequently until 2015 rigorously defended the public interest of the people of Nigeria in all respects,” the judge ruled.
PREMIUM TIMES had reported how the Jonathan administration controversially approved the transfer of $1.092 billion from Nigeria’s JP Morgan account in London to Nigerian accounts controlled by Malabu.
The money was paid by global oil giants, Shell and ENi, for Africa’s richest oil bloc, OPL 245.
The former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, and the former Minister of State for Finance, Yerima Ngama, signed the documents approving the transfer to Malabu.
The fraudulent deal, shaded in various layers of corruption, has been condemned by Nigerians and international transparency advocates and is being investigated by authorities in four different countries.
(PREMIUM TIMES)
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