The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Subsidy scam

  • Subsidy scam: Court grants Peters N85m bail

    A Lagos High Court on Wednesday granted bail in the sum of N85 million to the Managing Director of Nadabo Energy Limited., Abubakar Peters, charged with N1.5 billion oil subsidy fraud.

    The court held that the evidence before it showed that Peters reported himself to the court when he learnt that he had a case before it.

    “Bail is hereby granted to the defendant in the sum of N85 million and two sureties. The sureties must be resident in Lagos and possess three years’ tax clearance.

    “The defendant must submit his international passport to the assistant court registrar, while he also reports to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) every month,’’ Justice Christopher Balogun said.

    Balogun remanded the accused at the Ikoyi Prisons pending the perfection of his bail.

    The judge remanded him in Prison following a prayer by EFCC counsel, Mr. Mohammed Bahawa, who said the EFCC custody was congested.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the EFCC arraigned Peters on December 10 on a two-count charge of fraudulently obtaining N1.5 billion from the Federal Government through the Petroleum Support Fund.

    Peters is standing trial along with his company. They are accused of committing the fraud between February and April in contravention of Sections 1 (2) and (3) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act, 2006.

     

  • Subsidy scam: Two oil marketers challenge court jurisdiction

    Subsidy scam: Two oil marketers challenge court jurisdiction

     

    Two oil marketers, Aro Bamidele and Abiodun Bankole, on Thursday challenged the jurisdiction of a Lagos High Court in Ikeja to hear the alleged theft of N1.3 billion fuel subsidy charge against them.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the marketers made this known in a preliminary notice of objection filed by their counsel, Chief Anthony Idigbe (SAN).

    Bamidele and Abiodun were arraigned alongside their company, A.B.S Investment Company Limited, on October. 5, before Justice Lateefat Okunnu.

    The defendants are facing an 18-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence, forgery and uttering.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had alleged that the defendants had fraudulently obtained N1.3 billion from the Federal Government for the purported importation of 30 million litres of Premium Motor Spirits.

    At Thursday’s proceedings, Idigbe in the application dated November 20 also argued that the charges preferred against the accused were “grossly defective.”

    He said:”The Federal Government lacks the locus standi to prosecute the offences contained in the charges preferred against the defendants in this court.

    “The court does not have jurisdiction to entertain the charges. The entire charge is grossly defective and incurably bad because no fiat was obtained from the attorney general of Lagos State.”

    Idigbe further argued that the EFCC has no competence to prosecute the defendants before the court.

    Responding, EFCC counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), told the court that the prosecution was served with the application a few days ago and needed time to prepare their response.

    The judge consequently adjourned the matter till December 21 for mention.

     

  • Subsidy scam: Court grants EFCC leave to arraign suspects

    Subsidy scam: Court grants EFCC leave to arraign suspects

    An Abuja High Court on Tuesday granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission leave to arraign Saminu Rabiu and Jubril Rowaye, over their alleged complicity in the fuel subsidy scam.

    Rabiu and Rowaye are to stand trial on a 17-count charge bordering on conspiracy and fraud.

    The duo were alleged to have fraudulently obtained the sum of N1.5 billion from the Petroleum Support Fund as payment for the purported importation of 10,000 metric tonnes of Premium Motor Spirit.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Justice Adebukola Banjoko also granted permission to the commission to charge them alongside their companies, Alminnur Resources Limited and Brila Energy Limited.

    The EFCC had, through its counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, filed an application for leave to prefer a 17-count criminal charge against the duo, under section 185 (d) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

    Tahir said the application was based on the provisions of Section 185(b) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

    “I hereby apply for leave to prefer a criminal charge against the above named suspects.

    “Attached herewith are the following documents: a copy of the charge in respect of which leave is sought, and a verifying affidavit.

    “Others are names and addresses of the witnesses, statements of the witnesses and those of the two suspects and other documentary evidences,” he said.

    In her ruling, Banjoko granted the application and said that from the proof of evidence presented by the EFCC, Rabiu and Rowaye are to be arraigned on October 17.

    After the ruling, a mild drama ensued as Rabiu claimed to have hearing problems.

    His counsel, Ms. Blessing Omoague, told the court that her client had hearing challenges and would need a hearing aid in order to comprehend the charges.

    Omoague pleaded with the court, in the interest of justice, to adjourn to a later date for the arraignment of her client in order that he could be provided with a hearing aid.

    Besides, she submitted that her client had not been served with a copy of the charges.

    The counsel added that her client needs to read and understand the charges, so that he can prepare for his trial.

    Justice Banjoko, who agreed with the counsel to the first accused, ordered the EFCC to duly serve the suspect.

    Banjoko also ordered the suspect’s counsel to ensure that her client gets a hearing aid before the next adjourned date.

    She ordered the suspects to report to the EFCC daily until their arraignment on October 17.