The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, on October 26, 2016 arraigned the quartet of
Tamuno Tonye Ogolo, Donald Ndifreke
Dickson, Godspower Chukwudi Okoro and TamGold Energy Services before Justice
Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, sitting in Maitama, Abuja, on a 5-count charge of criminal conspiracy, forgery and obtaining by false pretence.
It was alleged that Okoro, in connivance with
other accused persons sometime in
September 2015, contacted one Bloom Faith Petroleum Limited, and promised to
supply the company with crude oil through a vessel, MT OCEAN LILY.
After series of negotiations, the complainant, Bloom Faith, allegedly paid the sum of $250,000 to TamGold Energy Services’ account – a company
allegedly owned by Ogolo, the first accused
person.
The accused
persons afterwards reneged on their promise as they could neither deliver the vessel nor make a refund of
the money collected. Hence, the
complainant decided to petition the EFCC.
The offence is a breach of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable
under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
The accused persons pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges when they were read to them.
Upon their pleas, counsel to EFCC, Ademu Eteh, urged the court to fix a date for the prosecution to present its
witnesses.
However, Victor Ogbonna standing for first, second and fourth defendants, through an oral application urged the court to release his clients on bail. Similarly, Darlington Okoji, representing the third accused person told the court
that he had a pending application asking for bail of his client.
Justice Nyako, while adjourning the case to December 7 and 9 for
hearing asked Ogbonna and Okoji to properly file and serve their application.
The accused persons are to be remanded in prison custody pending hearing of
their bail applications.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
26th October, 2016
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