3 suspects to remain in custody over subsidy scam

Subsidy scam: Three suspects to remain in
custody
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.:::::

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