The Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja, on Tuesday, convicted and sentenced two oil marketers, Mamman Nasir Ali and Christian Taylor, to 14 years imprisonment each, having found them guilty of conspiracy and fraudulent collection of N2.2bn under the Petroleum Support Fund scheme.

Delivering judgment in the matter, Justice Mojisola Dada held that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt and found the convicts guilty on multiple counts of conspiracy to obtain money by false pretences, forgery, and tendering false documents.

The court further held that their conduct not only defrauded the Federal Government but also eroded public trust in the fuel subsidy programme.

Ali and Taylor were arraigned alongside their company, Nasaman Oil Services Limited, on an amended 57 counts brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, following fresh findings in the course of an investigation.

They had earlier been arraigned on a 49-count charge before the matter was reassigned to Justice Dada, following the withdrawal of Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo.

The EFCC said that the convicts, on or about November 9, 2011, fraudulently obtained N749,991,273.36 by falsely claiming the amount represented subsidy payment for the importation of 10,031,986 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, allegedly purchased from SEATAC Petroleum Ltd of the British Virgin Islands and delivered through MT Liquid Fortune Ex MT Overseas Lima, a representation they knew to be false.

The EFCC also told the court that on or about April 11, 2011, the defendants fraudulently obtained N1,480,074,125.61 by making similar false claims concerning the importation of 20,492,982.50 litres of PMS, purportedly brought into Nigeria via MT Liquid Fortune Ex MT Hellenic Blue and Ex MT Milleura. 

They pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges preferred against them.

The prosecution, led by Mr. Seiduh Atteh, called several witnesses and tendered numerous documentary exhibits, which were admitted in evidence by the court.

In sentencing the convicts, the court imposed 14 years’ imprisonment on each of them to run concurrently.

Additionally, Justice Dada ordered the forfeiture of identified assets and bank accounts linked to the fraudulent scheme.

The court further issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Oluwaseun Ogunbambo and Olabisi Abdul-Afeez, who are still at large.