EFCC re-arraigns son of ex-PDP chair over alleged N2.2bn subsidy fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has re-arraigned Mamman Ali, son of a former National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ahmadu Ali, for alleged N2.2 billion oil subsidy fraud before an Ikeja Special Offences Court.

Ali was re-arraigned before Justice Mojisola Dada with one Christian Taylor and a company, Nasaman Oil Services Limited before The defendants were arraigned on an amended 49-count charge bordering on conspiracy to obtain money by false pretences, obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and use of false documents.

They however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Following their not guilty plea, EFCC prosecuting counsel, Samuel Atteh, prayed the court for a trial date to enable prosecution to call its witnesses and tender necessary documents relating to the alleged fraud.

Defence counsel, Kolade Obafemi however prayed to the court to allow the defendants to continue on the bail earlier granted them.

Responding, Atteh told the court that it was very important that the defendants’ attend court for  trial.

However, the defence counsel could not immediately present the defendants’ bail applications before the court.

The trial judge, Justice Dada, consequently ordered that the defendants should be remanded at the EFCC custody pending presentation of the bail papers and a formal application for their bail.

Justice Dada adjourned the case till May 30 for commencement of trial.

The defendants were initially arraigned before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo.However, Justice Onigbanjo withdrew from the case having proceeded on retirement  prompting reassignment of the case to Justice Dada.

The EFCC, in one of the counts, alleged that the defendants, with intent to defraud, conspired to obtain N750 million from the Federal Government by falsely representing subsidy accruing to Nasaman Oil Services Ltd. under the Petroleum Support Fund for importation of 10,031,986 litres of Premium Motor Spirit which Nasaman Oil Services Ltd. purported to have purchased from SEATAC Petroleum Ltd. of British Virgin Islands and imported into Nigeria through MT Liquid Fortune Ltd.

The commission said that the defendants knew that the representation was false.

According to the commission, the defendants committed the offences with one Oluwaseun Ogunbambo and one Olabisi Abdul-Afeez, both still at large, on November 9, 2011, in Ikeja.