Businessman’s Trial over Alleged N15.8m Oil Fraud Adjourned As EFCC Arrests 18 Illegal Mining Suspects
Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Thursday, June 13, 2024, adjourned till June 19, 2024 adoption of final written addresses in the alleged N15,800,000.00 (Fifteen Million, Eight Hundred Naira) fraud involving one Balami Abdullahi.
This is coming as operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested eighteen suspects for offences bordering on illegal mining activities
In the N15,800,000.00 fraud case, Abdullahi allegedly defrauded one Alhaji Buba Kimba of the said sum by falsely representing to him that he had 40,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil to sell.
He, however, allegedly failed to deliver the product.
All efforts by the petitioner to recover the money from the defendant also allegedly proved abortive.
He was first arraigned by Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Friday, December 13, 2019 on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence and stealing to the tune of N15,800,000.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Balami Abdullahi, on or about the 24th day of December, 2018 in Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division, with intent to defraud, knowingly obtained the aggregate sum of N15, 800, 000. 00 (Fifteen Million Eight Hundred Naira Only) from one Alhaji Buba Kimba under the false pretence that the said sum represented the cost for the sale of 40, 000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil, which you had and ready to sell and deliver to the said Alhaji Buba Kimba and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) and 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006.”
He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to him.
The trial Judge had, on July 10, 2023, dismissed his no-case submission and ordered him to open his defence.
At Thursday’s sitting scheduled for the adoption of final written addresses, the defence led by K. Allu, moved the final written address of his client and prayed the court to discharge and acquit him.
However, the NBA seal on the final written address of the prosecution led by A. Damboa was wrongly signed, as the person who signed it was not on the list of the counsel prosecuting the case.
Consequently, the matter was further adjourned till June 19, 2024 for the adoption of final written addresses.
EFCC Arrests 18 for Suspected Illegal Mining Activities
Meanwhile, operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC have arrested eighteen suspects for offences bordering on illegal mining activities.
13 truckloads with assorted solid minerals suspected to be lithium, marble stone, white powder, lepidolite among others were also arrested and recovered from the suspects.
The suspects are Saidu Madugu, Adamu Amadu, Lawal Ibrahim, Mohammed Mustapha, Abdulkarim Hassaini, Isiaka Abubakar, Shafiu Salisu, Abdullahi Yanda Isa, Bashiru Mohammed, Anas Saidu, Asa Bature, Abudu Sani, Jabir Salisu, Bello Muhammed, Habilu Idris, Fatai Abdullai, Isyiaka Hamidu and Oseni Lukman.
All the suspects were arrested on Tuesday, June 11, 2024 except the trio of Fatai, Isyiaka and Oseni that were arrested on Thursday, June 13, 2024.
The arrest followed credible intelligence about the activities of some suspects conveying illegally mined solid minerals along Eiyenkorin – Ballah route in Asa Local Government of Kwara State, without lawful authority.
The arrest of the suspects and interception of the trucks were executed in collaboration with the patrol team of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Kwara Area Command along Eiyenkorin and Ballah area in Asa Local Government of Kwara State.
The Ilorin Zonal Directorate had on Wednesday, June 5, 2024 arrested eleven suspects and impounded eight trucks over similar offences.
The suspects will be arraigned in court upon conclusion of ongoing investigations.
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