EFCC arraigns oil firm’s CEO for alleged N4.4bn fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday arraigned the Chief Executive Officer of Emee Oil And Gas Nigeria Limited, Florence Onojame, at the Lagos Special Offences Court, Ikeja, for alleged N4.4 billion fraud.

Onojame was arraigned alongside her company on a three-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and receiving fraudulently obtained property.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The EFCC counsel, Mr. Fatai Mohammed, thereafter asked the court to pick a trial date and remand the defendant in custody.

Mohammed told the court the defendant committed the offences with four others at large sometime in February 2022 in Lagos.

The counsel said Onojame stole N4.4 billion which she fraudulently transferred via Primusplus, an electronic banking platform of Access Bank, using her company’s login details.

He added that the defendant further transferred the sum into several accounts domiciled with the bank.

READ ASLO: Two men arraigned in court for allegedly defrauding 21 police officers

The prosecutor said the defendant retained the control of N100 million in her Access Bank account with the name of her company and transferred the sum from Total Energy Nigeria Limited account, knowing same to be proceeds of criminal activities.

The offences, according to him, contravened Sections 278, 326 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The defence counsel, Mr. Williams Onate, however, informed the court that a bail application for his client had been filed and served on the prosecution.

He said: “We will be praying for a short adjournment for hearing of the bail application and that the defendant be ordered to remain in the custody of the EFCC.”

Justice Mojisola Dada ordered that the defendant should be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending the hearing of her bail application.

She adjourned the case till October 10 for hearing of the bail application.

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