Billion dollar betrayal: EFCC tenders fresh evidence against Kore Holdings

Stanley Ihedigbo

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), tendered additional evidence against Kore Holdings Limited before Justice J. O. Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court Abuja.

According to the Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Mr. Dele Oyewale, the Commission is prosecuting the company alongside Muhammed Kuchazi (now deceased) in connection with the Process & Industrial Development (P&ID) fraud portfolio on amended four-count charges that border on non-compliance with Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment requirements, money laundering and other illegal acts.

At Wednesday’s proceedings, the Second Prosecution Witness (PW2), Umar Umar, while being led in his testimony by prosecution counsel, Bala Sangha, advanced eleven documents that were tendered in evidence in court. They include a letter of request to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), a letter of request to the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML), extra-judicial statements of Kuchazi which he voluntarily made to the EFCC, statements of other directors of the company: Mustapha Kuchazi, Bello Kuchazi, Belkisu Kuchazi, Aisha Kuchazi and statement of PW1, Temitope Erinomo.

The witness, while disclosing that Kore Holdings Limited was not a liquidated entity but was active and did business in Nigeria, submitted that “The status of Kore Holdings Limited through our investigation and interaction with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and First Bank of Nigeria Limited revealed that there was no evidence to show that it was liquidated or closed up because the documents showed that the company is active.

“Kore Holding Limited and Muhammed Kuchazi continually facilitated meetings between Rilwanu Lukman, the then Minister of Petroleum and the Process and Industrial Developments, P&ID for a fee of three percent of the net profit of P&ID project which led Kuchazi to testify against the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the High Court of England and Wales in the matter of Nigeria Vs P&ID in the first quarter of 2023 in which judgment was delivered in favour of Nigeria,” he said.

Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter till September 24, 2025, for continuation of trial.