THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,  has arraigned Ejere Kelvin Chris and Edoma Omagha before Justice A. M. Nicol-Clay of the State High Court sitting in Igbosere, Lagos on a 10-count charge of conspiracy and forgery involving oil deal worth N7.3billion.

Also listed as defendants are Kehinde Eliot Ogbor, Danium Energy Services Limited, Sibet Oil Services Limited, Loveth Miyemi Ogbor and Rhombi Energy limited, who are all at large.

A statement by Wilson Uwajaren, spokesman of the EFCC, on Thursday stated that Danium Energy Services Limited allegedly  approached the petitioner, a new generation bank,  between January 17 and February 9, to finance three different purchase orders for the sale of Automotive Gas Oil, AGO, to Total Nigeria Plc, with a cumulative face value of N12, 134,700.000.

Thereafter, the bank allegedly financed two of the purchase orders to the tune of N7.3billion, after due confirmation from Total Nigeria Plc.

The products were allegedly supplied by Sibet Oil Services Limited and Rhombi Energy Limited and discharged at the Ibeto Tank farm, Apapa.

The bank was said to have engaged an independent surveyor, International Logistics and Fulfillment Services Limited, which confirmed the existence of the products at Ibeto Tank Farm as well as the Department of Petroleum Resources.

However, when the bank approached Total Nigeria Plc for repayment, it was discovered that the purchase orders were forged by the accused persons.

The accused persons pleaded not guilty to charged

In view of their pleas, the prosecuting counsel, George Chia-yakua, asked the court for a date to commence trial and prayed that the accused persons be remanded in prison custody.

Counsels to the accused persons, through oral application urged the court to admit their clients to bail, but was opposed by Chia-yakua, who insisted “they must file written applications.”

Justice Nicol-Clay adjourned to July 11, for hearing of the bail applications and ordered the accused persons to be remanded in the EFCC custody.

– July 7, 2017 @ 5:15 GMT /