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Saturday, October 6, 2012

EFCC arraigns 13 new marketers over N4.6bn subsidy fraud

 The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday arraigned 13 new oil marketers at a Lagos High Court, Ikeja for fuel subsidy fraud in the sum of N4.6 billion.

The EFCC alleged that they obtained the money by false pretence and using fake documents.
Ten of the oil marketers, made up of six persons and four companies, were arraigned before Justice Habeeb Abiru while the remaining three, made up of two individuals and one company, were arraigned before Justice Lateefa Okunnnu.

The six indicted oil marketers and their four companies were arraigned before Justice Habeeb Abiru on an eight- count charge.The charges bordered on “conspiracy to obtain by false pretence, obtaining by false pretence, conspiracy to forge documents and uttering false documents.”

The EFCC alleged that the marketers and their companies had conspired to and also obtain huge sums of money from the Federal Government of Nigeria, purpoting the sums to be payments for subsidy under the Petrol Support Fund for the purported importation of premium motor spirit from Europe to Nigeria.

Those arraigned before Justice Abiru were Anosyke Group of Companies Ltd; Ifeanyi Anosike; Dell Energy Ltd; Emeka Chukwu; Ngozi Ekeoma; Downstream Energy Sources Ltd; Alhaji Adamu Aliyu Maula; Rocky Energy Ltd; George Ogbonna and one Emmanuel.
According to the charge sheets, Anosyke Group of Companies, Ifeanyi Anosike, Dell Energy Limited, Emeka Chukwu and Ngozi Ekeoma were arraigned on an eight count charge bordering on conspiracy to obtain by false pretence, forgery and uttering false documents to the tune of N1,537,278,880.82, being payments fraudulently received from the Petroleum Support Fund for purported supply of 15, 000 metric tonnes of premium motor spirit.
On the other hand, the commission arraigned Downstream Energy Sources Limited, Alhaji Adamu Aliyu Maula, Rocky Energy Limited, George Ogbonna and Emmanuel Morah on an eight count charge also bordering on conspiracy to obtain property by false pretence, conspiracy to forge documents, forgery and uttering false documents to the tune of N789,648,329.25, being payments fraudulently received from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported supply of 14,273,0227 litres of premium motor spirit.
The EFCC claimed that all the defendants at various times forged different bills of laden for premium motor spirit not supplied all in a bid to claim the Federal Government’s subsidy on fuel.
The 10 accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges and their counsel applied for a date for hearing of bail application for them.
They also prayed the court to order that the defendants be remanded in EFCC custody as against prison custody.
Justice Abiru granted the request of the defendants as he ordered that they be remanded in EFCC custody.
He thereafter adjourned the matter till October 19, 2012 for hearing of their bail applications.
Eight oil companies and marketers were initially billed to appear before justice Lateefa Okunnu on Friday but the EFCC was only able to arraign only three marketers.
The three marketers arraigned before Justice Okunnu were made up of a company, ASB Investment Limited, and two persons, Aro Samuel Bamidele and Abiodun Kayode Bankole.
The three defendants and others yet to face trial were arraigned on an 18-count charge bordering on uttering, obtaining and falsifying documents to the tune of N2,326,927,210.07.
The three defendants who took their pleas before Justice Okunnu pleaded not guilty and the court fixed bail hearing for October 9, 2012 with an order that the defendants be remanded in EFCC custody.
Among the five persons and companies that were absent in court on Friday were Abdulahi Alao, the son of Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Arisekola Alao.
Abdullahi Alao and his company, Axenergy Nigeria Limited, will be appearing for the third time for offences bordering on fuel subsidy fraud since the fuel subsidy trials commenced.
In the current charge, Abdullahi was again alleged to have obtained under false pretence as well as forged bills of laden and other relevant importation documents to perpetrate fraud.
Trial in the matter involving Abdullahi Alao and four others will commence on November 22, 2012 before Justice Okunnu.

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