The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to disregard the acquittal of former Petroleum Resources Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, by a United Kingdom court. The EFCC described the June 17 judgment of the Southwark Crown Court in London as immaterial to the ongoing proceedings over assets linked to the former minister. The commission made the submission in a further counter-affidavit opposing Diezani’s application to tender the UK judgment as evidence in the Nigerian case. Justice Inyang Ekwo had on July 1 granted Diezani permission to present the judgment before the court. However, the EFCC argued that the UK proceedings are unrelated to the Nigerian suit and had no effect on the final forfeiture orders under which the disputed properties were sold. The commission maintained that the properties were forfeited pursuant to final orders issued by the Federal High Court in 2019 and that the orders remain valid, having not been set aside. Diezani, through her counsel, Mike Ozekhome, is asking the court to order the EFCC to recover properties allegedly sold to third parties. She argued that the forfeiture proceedings violated her right to fair hearing and alleged that some of the orders were obtained through misrepresentation, suppression and non-disclosure of material facts. The former minister also maintained that she had not been convicted of any criminal offence warranting the forfeiture of her properties. She further argued that she has been outside Nigeria since 2015 for medical treatment and was not served with relevant court processes. The EFCC, however, said criminal charges has been filed against Diezani in various Nigerian courts following investigations into her activities while in public office. Justice Ekwo has adjourned the matter until November 11 for hearing of the pending applications.