The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday arraigned three more suspects indicted in the abuse of the Petroleum Support Fund in the guise of subsidy for imported fuel in Lagos.
Oluwaseun Ogunbambo, Habila Thrck and Fargo Petroleum and Gas Limited were all arraigned before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja on a six counts of conspiring to obtain the sum of N976, 653,110.28 (nine hundred and seventy six million, six hundred and fifty three thousand, one hundred and ten naira, twenty eight kobo only) from the Federal Government of Nigeria by falsely representing that the said sum was accrued subsidy for the importation of 13,627,084 litres of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) purportedly purchased from Sealac Petroleun Limited and imported into Nigeria through MT Diplomat Ex mT Milleura.
One of the defendants, Olugbenga Adesanya, could not be arraigned along with others as the EFCC alleged that he is “still at large”.
The suspects were also accused of forgery and use of false document contrary to section 364 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria.
EFCC also alleged that the accused persons and the oil company “on the 14th of October, 2011 at Lagos and within Ikeja judicial division, with intent to defraud and in order to facilitate your obtaining money by false pretence from the federal government of Nigeria, under the Petroleum Support Fund, forged a document titled ‘Certificate of Origin, Port of Loading Antwerp Belgium’ purporting the document to have been issued by Seatac Petroleum Limited”.
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to them.
Babajide Koku, counsel to the accused persons informed the court that he had filed a bail application dated 25 of July, 2012 and served on the prosecution. However, he said he needed time to respond to the counter affidavit and requested for a short adjournment.
Prosecution counsel, Usani Francis, did not oppose the application.
Justice Onigbanjo, consequently adjourned proceedings to Wednesday August 1, 2012 for hearing of the bail application while ordering that the accused be remanded in EFCC custody.
