Subsidy fraud: How oil marketers defrauded FG –EFCC witness

A prosecution witness in the ongoing probe into abuse of the Petroleum Support Fund of the Federal Government, Mr. Mohammed Adedapo, has told a Lagos High Court, sitting in Ikeja, how three oil marketers allegedly forged documents to perpetrate N1.1 billion.
Adedapo, who testified in the trial of Messrs Abdullahi Alao, Opeyemi Ajuyah and Olarenwaju Olalusi, told Justice Lateefat Okunnu, how the marketers collected money for products not supplied.
The oil marketers, alongside their companies, Majope Investment Ltd and Axenergy Ltd are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for fraudulently obtaining N1.1 billion from the Petroleum Support Fund of the Federal Government.
At the resumed sitting of the court yesterday, Adedapo, who is an inspector of petroleum products of Q and Q Control Marine Services Nigeria Ltd, alleged that Alao and his co-defendants had imported about 4,000 metric tonnes of petroleum products but had obtained subsidy payment for 15,000 metric tonnes.
Led in evidence by EFCC counsel, Mr. Francis Usani, the witness said Q and Q was contracted by Oando Oil and Gas Plc to inspect the quantity of products brought in by a vessel, MT Brief on behalf of Majope Investment Ltd. He stated that the discharge was done at Lister Jetty in Apapa between January 22 and 23, 2011, saying that the vessel brought 15,000 metric tonnes.
According to him, about 4,000 metric tonnes were discharged into the facility while the remaining quantity was taken away by the vessel. Adedapo said he wrote a protest letter to the captain of the ship as a result of the discrepancy witnessed in the transaction after which he issued a Shore Tank Certificate to the marketers indicating that only 4,000 metric tonnes were discharged in the facility.
Under cross-examination by counsel to the defendants, Mr. Wale Akoni (SAN) and Mr. Oludare Falana, Adedapo maintained that he did not sign any document indicating that 15,000 metric tonnes were discharged.
“The Shore Tank Certificate showing that 15,000 metric tonnes were supplied was not signed by me. The signature looks like mine but this document did not emanate from Q and Q,” he added. Following the denial, Falana ordered him to sign on a blank paper for comparison of the signatures.
The paper was admitted by the court as Exhibit P6. At this juncture, the court adjourned till July 24 for continuation of trial. In a related development, the trial of three other oil marketers, Messrs Ifeanyi Anosike, Emeka Chukwu and Ngozi Ekeoma could not hold yesterday because the counsel to the defendants, Mr. Lai Babatunde, urged the court to allow him sort out some matters with his clients. During proceedings, Anosike’s counsel, Mr. Lai Babatunde (SAN), informed the court that he was contemplating his withdrawal from the matter based on recent developments.
He, therefore, asked the court for an adjournment to enable him discuss further with his client. The marketers and their firms, Anosike Group of Companies and Dell Energy Ltd. are facing trial before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo for an alleged N1.5 billion fuel subsidy fraud. The judge adjourned the matter till September 18, for mention.