Admin l Wednesday, December 23, 2020
IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – A prosecution witness of the Special Anti-Fraud Unit, Milverton,Ikoyi, Lagos Mr. Sunday Ubani, has told a Special Offences Court, sitting in Ikeja, Lagos that Mobil Plc received only 3444metric tonnes from allegedly stolen 10,000 metric tonnes of it’s valid contract with Nadabo Energy Limited.
He said this today in his evidence -in-chief led by Rotimi Jacobs SAN in a suit marked ID/7980c/2018 before Justice Mojisola Dada. The marketers Yusuf Kwande and Osahon Asemota are facing alleged three count criminal charges alongside five companies: Trafigura Behee BV, Trafigura PTE Limited, Mettle Energy and Gas, Rembrandt Limited and Jil Engineering and Oil Services Limited.
The charge centred on conspiracy, stealing and receiving stolen property. He told the court that investigation conducted by his team uncovered that Nadabo Energy Limited entered into agreement with the Mobil Plc for the supply of 10,000 metric tonnes of Automotive Gas Oil.
He said Nadabo Energy invited Mettle Energy to execute the contract on its behalf with a fund raised by Nadabo from Spring Bank as consignee of supplied product from Trafigura. He said that he realized during investigation that allegation that the product was off spec and contaminated was a tissue of lies, as Department of Petroleum Regulations and Q&Q at different times confirmed that the supplied product met required standard.
“There was an agreement between Nadabo Energy and Mobil. At Mobil, we met one Charles. He sent one CSO and others to accompany us inside.
“Mobil confirmed that they have a contract for supply of 10,000 metric tonnes AGO with Nadabo. They informed us that they received 3444 metric tonnes from the total contract. Whatever product supplied to Mobil, they pay according to the contract terms,” Ubani said.
He told the court that the vessel which conveyed the product carried 25,000 metric tonnes of AGO out of which 10,000 metric tonnes was discharged for Mobil/Nadabo Energy Limited contract.
Subsequently, the witness said after Nadabo called in Mettle Energy for the execution of the contract on its behalf backed up by Nadabo’s letter of credit from Spring Bank, Mettle dragged Jil Engineering and Rendbrant Limited into the contract.
“In his statement Yusuf Kwande stated clearly that the transaction contract Mobil had with Nadabo was supplied by Trafigura. The ship carried the product had 25,000 metric tonnes and Mobil needed only 10,000 metric tonnes.
“Mettle Energy brought in Jil Engineering and Rendbrant. Jil Engineering brought in smaller board that could not load all the product at once. The products were loaded in parts,” the witness said.
The witness under cross examination by Bode Olanipekun SAN, said part of 10,000 metric tonnes that was parts of Mobil AGO was sold by Jil Engineering to NAC oil. He said though he was not aware that Jil Engineering made any payment to Trafigura but he confirmed that he saw the agreement between Nadabo and Mobil for the supply of 10,000 metric tonnes.
“There was no document to show that Jil Engineering made any payment to Trafigura. I saw agreement between Mobil and Nadabo. I didn’t see any agreement between Nadabo and Trafigura,” Ubani said.
