ALLEGED $8.4M FRAUD: Court to rule on oil firm’s no-case submission January 4

Justice Mojisola Dada of the Lagos State Special Offences Court, Ikeja, on Thursday fixed January 4, 2022, for ruling on the no-case submission filed by an international oil company, Trafigura Beheer BV Limited and six other defendants over alleged $8.4million fraud.

The six other defendants are Trafigura PTE Limited, Yusuf Kwande, Osahon Asemota, Mettle Energy and Gas Limited., Renbrandt Limited and Jil Engineering and Oil Services Limited.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned the defendants on a three-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and receiving stolen property.

The commission alleged that Kwande, Asemota, Trafigura PTE Limited, Mettle Energy and Gas Limited and Renbrandt Limited committed the offences from October 22, 2008, to December 15, 2008.

The defendants, according to EFCC, fraudulently converted 6.4 million metric tonnes of Automated Gas Oil (AGO) worth $8.4 million at the office of Trafigura Beheer BV located at 20A Sinaro Daranijo Street, off Ligali Ayorinde Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The alleged stolen AGO belonged to Nadabo Energy Limited.

The prosecution called 13 witnesses to testify against the defendants.

It added that the offences contravened Sections 383(1), 427 and 516 of the Criminal Code, 2004.

The judge fixed the date after hearing submissions from the defence and prosecution counsels.

READ ALSO: International oil firms owe NDDC $4bn – Akpabio

The EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), told the court that the commission’s response to the no-case submission was delayed due to the late filing of the seventh defendant’s (Jil Engineering and Oil Services Limited) application.

He confirmed that counsel to the other defendants has filed their applications, but he could not individually reply to each application.

Jacobs noted that the practice was to consolidate their applications and reply via a single application.

He said: “My Lord, the first to third defendants filed their no-case submission earlier. The fourth to sixth defendants filed theirs on November 3.

“While we are preparing our reply, the seventh defendant filed its application on December 3 and served us on December 7.

“I want to plead to the court that we need time to respond to the defence. We needed some time to respond to all these applications.”

Responding, counsel to the first and second defendant (Trafigura Beheer BV and Trafigura PTE Ltd), Bode Olanipekun (SAN), asked the prosecution to separately respond to his no-case submission.

The counsel informed the court that he filed his application on September 13, saying it was “ripe” for response by the prosecution.

In her ruling, Justice Dada noted that since the seventh defendant had just filed its application, the prosecution also needs time to respond.

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