Witnesses’ Transfer Stalls N1.3bn Fuel Subsidy Fraud Trial

The absence of the pros
ecution witnesses last week stalled the trial of two oil marketers charged before a Federal High Court in Lagos, over an alleged N1.3 billion fuel subsidy fraud.
The accused, Chinyerem Nweze and Olaniran Ogundipe, were charged alongside their companies, Geacan Energy Ltd and Petroleum Brokers Ltd, on a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy and fraud.
The  case, which was fixed for continuation of trial, could not go on as scheduled, due to the absence of prosecution witnesses.
The prosecutor, Mr Dania Abdullahi, informed the court that some of the police witnesses had been transferred out of the jurisdiction of the court.
Abdullahi, therefore, prayed the court for an adjournment to afford the prosecution adequate time to regularise the vacuum created by the transfer. The defence did not object to this prayer for adjournment.
Justice Musa Kurya, in a short ruling, adjourned the case to June 19 for continuation of trial.
The Tide gathered that the accused were arraigned on September 13, 2013.
They had, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge, and were granted bail in the sum of N1.5 billion each, with two sureties each in like sum.
The accused were alleged to have committed the offence between January and April, 2011.
They were alleged to have fraudulently obtained N1.32 billion from the Federal Government, under the pretext of having imported about 18,000 litres of petrol.
According to the prosecutor, the accused allegedly forged a consolidated Hallmark Marine Insurance Certificate, with which they perpetuated the fraud, adding that the accused never imported the products.
The offence contravenes Sections 1(1), 1(2), 3 (1), 8 (a), and 10 (1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, Cap. A6, Laws of the Federation, 2004.
It also contravenes Section 467 of the Criminal Code, Laws of the Federation, 2004.