Oil Marketer Dupes Lagos Company, Obtains N45.3m by ‘419’

An oil marketer, Mohammed Babagana Alkali is currently in detention at a Correctional Facility following his arraignment by The Lagos Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja.

Alkali was arraigned along with his companies, The Million Oil and Gas Limited and Yafandi Oil and Gas Limited, on a 26-count charge bordering on conspiracy to steal, forgery and stealing to the tune of N45,340,500.00 (Forty-five Million, Three Hundred and Forty Thousand, Five Hundred Naira).

In a statement posted on the facebook page of the EFCC, Alkali was alleged to have, between June and August, 2019 in Lagos, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N45,340,500.00 (Forty-five Million, Three Hundred and Forty Thousand, Five Hundred Naira) by false pretence from Kain Energy Limited by representing to her that he will purchase Automotive Gas Oil and supply it to Kuramo Industries Nigeria Limited, which representation he knew to be false.

Another count reads: “That you, Mohammad Babagana Alikali, sometime in 2019, in Lagos within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, knowingly forged a document titled “Purchase Order” with LPO No. 00/06/001 dated the 27th June, 2019 which you purported to have been issued by the Kuramo Industries Nigeria limited.”

But the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.

The prosecution counsel, Joy Amahian reportedly told the court at the beginning of proceedings that the defendant was served with the notice of proceedings two weeks ago.

Amahian alleged that the defendant used his two companies to dishonestly convert N45,340,500.00, property of Kain Energy Limited to his own use.

She also told the court that the defendant deliberately did not bring a lawyer to represent him at the proceedings.

However, the prosecution counsel asked the court for a trial date and prayed that the defendant be remanded in correctional centre pending the outcome of the case.

In his ruling, Justice Mojisola Dada ordered the defendant to be remanded in correctional centre and adjourned the case to February 17, 2020 for commencement of trial.