New Telegraph

N761m fuel subsidy fraud: Bawa testifies against Nadabo

Abdulrasheed Bawa

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, Tuesday appeared before Justice Sedoton Ogunsanya of the Ikeja High Court in Lagos, to further testify as a key prosecution witness in an alleged N761million fuel subsidy fraud case involving an oil marketer, Abubakar Ali Peters.

The EFCC had arraigned Abubakar, alongside his company, Nadabo Energy Limited, on a 21-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretence, diversion of Federal Government funds and forgery.

The anti-graft agency alleged that the defendants obtained the said sum from the Federal Government as oil subsidy using forged documents on September 26, 2011.

According to the Commission, the defendants obtained N761, 628,993.84 from the government under the Petroleum Support Fund for the purpose of importing 16,808,064 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) but fraudulently imported only 7, 953,962 litres and diverted the rest of the product and its proceeds for personal use.

The EFCC boss, Mr Bawa had investigated the case while serving as an operative of the Commission.

Abubakar is also facing a similar charge brought against him by the EFCC before Justice Christopher Balogun of the Lagos State High Court.

However, during the proceedings Tuesday, the EFCC prosecutor, Mr Seidu Atteh, told the court that it was ready to proceed with the examination in chief of Bawa.

But the trial was stalled as a result of the absence of the defence counsel.

Atteh told the court that the matter, which commenced in 2015, has suffered many adjournments due to the absence of defence.

The prosecutor further told the court that its key witness was in court, including the defendant, and that he was ready to proceed with trial.

On his part, the defendant informed the court that his counsel was to fly into Lagos Tuesday but he had no idea why he was absent from the proceedings

The Nadabo Chairman further added that he called his counsel before the court sitting but his mobile phone was switched off.

Justice Sedotan thereafter adjourned the matter till Wednesday, September 22 and warned that the defendants will defend themselves if their counsels fail to appear in court.

Meanwhile, after the court proceedings, the EFCC boss told journalists that he was merely dehydrated when he slumped at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, during a public event, last week.

He also said he was back on his feet the same day that the incident happened.

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