EFCC ARRAIGNS 2 MDS OF OIL COMPANIES FOR FAKING NNPC DOCUMENTS

IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC today arraigned two Managing Directors- Epebinu Omoniyi of Pure Pack Oil Nigeria Ltd and Adekanbi Adedayo of First Hallmark Energy Ltd before an Ikeja High Court for forging Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) documents and using them to defraud a business partner of N3million.

Omoniyi and Adedayo were arraigned on eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretences and forgery. They pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Led by Mr M.S Owede, the prosecution said the Managing Directors committed the offences in 2014 in Lagos alongside Titus Adegoke and Demola Omisore who are both at large.

“On Oct. 22, 2014 the defendants forged a document titled ‘Letter of Authority To Sell Bonny Light Crude Oil and To Represent the NNPC/Shell JV Operators Bonny Terminal’ which was purportedly issued in favour of Pure Pack Oil Nigeria Ltd, dated Oct. 22, 2014 and issued by the NNPC.

“On Oct. 28, 2014 the defendants forged a document titled ‘Re-confirmation of Allocation in Favour of Pure Pack Oil Nigeria Ltd’ which was dated on Oct. 28, 2024 and also purportedly issued by the NNPC.

“On Dec. 15, 2014 a document purported to be from the NNPC titled ‘Authority to Sell Cargo on Board MT Gloric’ alleged to be issued in favour of Pure Pack Oil Nigeria Ltd and Dafar Oil and Gas was forged by the defendants.

Shedding light on how the defendants allegedly defrauded Mr Ayo Falati their business partner, the prosecutor said “On Dec. 8, 2014 the defendants fraudulently obtained N3million from Falati under false pretences.

“They falsely informed him after showing him the forged documents that they had secured a contract from the NNPC to supply crude oil from Nigeria to the United States of America. The defendants told Falati that the N3million they received from him, represents 1 percent contract performance bond payment.” After the pleas of the defendants were taken, Owede requested that they should be remanded in prison.

However, counsel to Omoniyi, Mr N.D Momoh requested for more time to file a bail application while Mr J. Opara, counsel to Adedayo urged the court to grant his client bail in the interest of justice.

Justice Sedotan Ogunsanya granted Adedayo N1million bail with two sureties in like sum. The judge, however, remanded Omoniyi in the Kirikiri Prisons and adjourned the case to Dec. 13 for commencement of trial.