Alleged N2.2bn Oil Subsidy Fraud Trial: Further Hearing Deferred to March 25

By Mohammed Bello Doka

In a significant development at the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, Justice Mojisola Dada has adjourned the trial of Mamman Nasir Ali and Christian Taylor, who are facing charges in connection to an alleged N2.2 billion oil subsidy fraud. The trial, initially overseen by Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of a Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, was reassigned to Justice Dada following Justice Onigbanjo's withdrawal due to health reasons.

The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) re-arraigned the two defendants and Nasaman Oil Services Limited on March 24, 2023. The charges include 49 counts related to conspiracy, forgery, and use of false documents. The allegations are in violation of Section 8 and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006, as well as Section 363 (3)(j) and Section 364 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.

Among the charges, one specifies that the defendants, including Nasaman Oil Services Ltd, Mamman Nasir Ali, Christian Taylor, Oluwaseun Ogunbambo (now at large), and Olabisi Abdul-Afeez (still at large), purportedly conspired on November 9, 2011, to obtain the sum of N749,991,273.36 from the Federal Government of Nigeria. This amount was falsely claimed to represent subsidy accruing to Nasaman Oil Services Ltd under the Petroleum Support Fund for the importation of 10,031,986 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

Another count alleges that on April 11, 2011, they obtained the sum of N1,480,074,125.61 by falsely claiming it represented subsidy accruing to Nasaman Oil Services Ltd for the importation of 20,492,982.50 litres of PMS.

All the accused parties pleaded "not guilty" to the charges brought against them.

During the recent court proceedings on February 2, 2024, the prosecution counsel, S.K. Atteh, informed the court that one of the witnesses was indisposed, and the other faced flight issues. Consequently, he requested an adjournment, a plea to which the defence counsel, Kolade Obafemi, raised no objection. As a result, Justice Dada adjourned the trial till March 25 and 26, 2024, for the continuation of proceedings.