EFCC arraigns 2 oil dealers over Petroleum Equalisation fraud

By -
(Nigeria) The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, arraigned the duo of Aku Ben Aku and Philips James Aliku alongside their company, Al-Aminu Oil and Gas Limited, before Justice Sulaiman Aliyu Tukur  of the High Court of Kaduna State, Kaduna on a five -count charge of conspiracy, forgery and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N14. 602 million.
The offence is contrary to Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable Under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
The first accused person, Aku, while being in the employ of the Petroleum Equalisation Fund Board, allegedly registered a private company, Al-Aminu Oil and Gas, where he is a director.
Aku, allegedly conspired with the second accused person, Aliku, who is also a director in the company, and obtained the sum of N14. 602m from the Federal Government on the pretence that the money was for the loading and selling of petroleum products by the filling station purportedly located on Madikiya Road, Kafancha, Kaduna State.
Count one of the charge reads: ‘‘That you Aku Ben ‘M’,   Philips James Aliku ‘M’, whilst being Directors of Al-Aminu Oil and Gas Limited on about February 11, 2014 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Kaduna State did, with intent to defraud, conspired to obtain the sum of N14, 602m from the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Petroleum Equalisation Fund( Management) Board under the pretence that the said sum represented the loading and selling of petroleum products in the non-existent filling station, claimed to be located along Madikiya Road, Kafancha, Kaduna State. The said sum paid through Zenith Bank Plc. account No. 1013733208, which representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 8(a) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
*That you Aku Ben Aku ‘M’, Phillips James Aliku ‘M’, whilst being Directors of Aminu Oil and Gas Limited, on or about February 11, 2014 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Kaduna State did, with intent to defraud and in order to facilitate obtaining the sum of 14. 602m by false pretence from the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Petroleum Equalisation Fund (Management) Board knowingly and fraudulently used as genuine a forged document titled ‘‘The Department of Petroleum Resources’’ Receipt No. DPR/ No.0452666, dated October 15, 2014 made in favour of Al-Aminu Oil and Gas Limited by  presenting the document to the Petroleum Equalisation Fund( Management) Board,  purporting the document to have been issued by Department of Petroleum Resources( DPR) and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 364 of the Penal Code Cap 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria( Abuja)1990."
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them.
In view of their pleas, the prosecution counsel, Steve Odiase, asked the court for a trial date.
In response, the  defence counsel, F. C. Ikpe, told the court that there was a pending application for bail and prayed the court to grant  the accused bail on liberal terms.
The prosecution counsel did not oppose the bail application.
After listening to both counsel, Justice Tukur granted the accused persons bail in the sum of N1m each, with one surety each in like sum. The accused persons must deposit their international passports with the court registrar.
Each of the sureties must be a civil servant not below Grade Level 14 or a principal officer in a company.
The accused persons are to be remanded in Kaduna Prison pending the fulfilment of their bail conditions.
The case has been adjourned to March 11, 2016 for trial.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

UBTH @50: Obaseki hails institution’s role in strengthening Edo healthcare

By -
Image
(Nigeria) Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, has commended the staff and management of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH, for their unwavering commitment, dedication, and hard work in providing high-quality healthcare services to the people of Edo State and Nigeria in the past fifty years. Obaseki, at a dinner organized in honour of the Committee of Chief Medical Directors of Nigeria, at the Government House, Benin City, reassured the government’s continuous partnership and collaboration with the federal government-owned health institution to strengthen the health system and ensure quality health delivery to Edo people. The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Philip Shaibu, reeled out the gains of the government’s reforms in the health sector, commending the medical centre for bolstering the government’s efforts at transforming Edo State into a health hub. He said, "We came into a wilderness where you have to cut a part for yourself and fix it. We held
Read more

NBC has no powers to impose fine on broadcast stations --Court

By -
Image
(Nigeria) The National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, has been restrained by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, from imposing fines on broadcast stations in the country. Trial judge in the matter, Justice James Omotosho also set aside the N500,000 fines imposed on March 1, 2019, on each of 45 broadcast stations. The court made the orders in its judgment a suit by the Incorporated Trustees of Media Rights Agenda, MRA, which had sued the NBC. Justice Omotosho held that the NBC, not being a court of law, had no power to impose sanctions as punishment on broadcast stations. The court further held that the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, which gives the commission the power to impose sanction, is in conflict with Section 6 of the Constitution that vested judicial power in the court of law. He said the court would not sit idle and watch a body imposing fine arbitrarily without recourse to the law. He said that the commission did not comply with the law when it sat as a complainant and at
Read more