Legal proceedings in Nigeria’s ongoing $9.6 billion fraud case against British national James Nolan, a director in Process and Industrial Developments Ltd (P&ID), were delayed on Tuesday due to the absence of both prosecution and defence counsel.
The Federal High Court in Abuja had scheduled the session for the adoption of final written addresses, but the matter was postponed until 24 September after neither side appeared in court.
Nolan, who was implicated in the high-profile P&ID gas supply scandal, previously told the court in January that he would not be calling any witnesses in his defence and would rely solely on the evidence presented by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). This position was communicated through his lawyer, Michael Ajara.
Originally arraigned in May 2022 alongside Micad Project City Services, a subsidiary of P&ID, Nolan pleaded not guilty to charges including money laundering and was remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre before being granted bail. However, he absconded from Nigeria in September 2022, prompting the court to issue a warrant for his arrest and grant the EFCC permission to continue the trial in his absence.
After being on the run for over a year, Nolan was reportedly detained by Interpol in Italy on 27 January 2024 during a visit to his wife. However, he has not yet been extradited to Nigeria.
The case is part of a broader anti-corruption effort by Nigerian authorities. In July 2024, a separate court presided over by Justice Donatus Okorowo, now a Justice of the Court of Appeal, ordered the closure and asset forfeiture of two companies linked to Nolan—Trinity Biotech Nigeria Limited and Resorts Express Concept Nigeria Ltd—after finding them guilty of laundering money in connection with the P&ID scandal.
The EFCC continues to pursue justice in the case, which has drawn international attention due to its implications for Nigeria’s investment climate and legal accountability mechanisms.
