…Says Commercial Award Not a Criminal Conviction, Demands Full Record Disclosure
Former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has rejected the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) tribunal’s findings concerning his conduct in the $2.7 billion Mambilla arbitration, insisting that a commercial arbitration award does not amount to a criminal conviction.
CDA News Nigeria reports that Malami’s position was contained in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Mohammed Doka, on Tuesday.
CDA News Nigeria gathered that the ICC tribunal, in its 616-page final award delivered in Paris on September 16, 2026, rejected Sunrise Power’s claims against Nigeria and ordered the company and its promoter, Leno Adesanya, to reimburse Nigeria for a substantial portion of its legal costs.
However, the tribunal also found that a corrupt deal was reached between Adesanya and Malami in connection with a proposed settlement, concluding that the arrangement tainted a settlement agreement under which Nigeria was potentially liable for up to $400 million.
Reacting, Malami said the proceedings were commercial arbitration and not a criminal trial. “The proceedings were commercial arbitration proceedings between parties to a dispute. They were not a criminal prosecution of Abubakar Malami, SAN, and the award does not constitute a criminal conviction of him,” the statement said.
He, however, acknowledged the seriousness of the findings, saying they should be examined against the complete documentary and evidentiary record. “Those matters should not be ignored, trivialised or answered by speculation,” the statement added .
Malami also sought to provide historical context, arguing that the dispute surrounding Sunrise and the Mambilla project began years before he became Attorney-General, and that he inherited a longstanding dispute that had traversed previous administrations.
He categorically denied the tribunal’s finding of a corrupt arrangement with Adesanya. “Malami rejects any suggestion that his official actions were undertaken pursuant to a corrupt agreement or in exchange for personal financial benefit,” the statement said.
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Byline: By CDA News Nigeria Correspondent
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