By SCM REPORTER
A LIKELY lad energy boss who tried to dodge a fraud trial has been told by a judge: “Not so fast.”
Chinedu Justin and his firm, GIL Energy Services Limited, were hauled before the Lagos State Special Offences Court over claims they vanished with millions of Naira—the equivalent of around £50,000.
The businessman tried to pull the plug on the case, claiming the whole mess was just a “civil dispute” over a loan. But Justice Mojisola Dada wasn’t buying it. She threw out his “no-case” plea, ruling that prosecutors had more than enough evidence to put him in the dock.
THE CHARGES
Justin and his firm are staring down a six-count charge including:
Stealing: Allegedly pocketing 65 million Naira (approx. £31,000) and another 10 million Naira (£5,000) belonging to Cool Financial Services.
Dodgy Cheques: Issuing “bouncing” cheques that weren’t worth the paper they were printed on.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has spent months building a mountain of evidence, calling four witnesses and handing over piles of documents to the court.
While Justin insists he’s innocent and pleaded not guilty to every count, Justice Dada ruled that the prosecution had established a prima facie case—meaning there is a serious case to answer.
The judge ordered the energy mogul to stop making excuses and start his defence.
The case has been adjourned until March 26, 2026, when Justin will finally have to explain where the cash went.
