The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday re-arraigned Mamman Nasir Ali, son of former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ahmadu Ali, and Sierra Leonean Christian Taylor, at the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, over their alleged involvement in a N2.2 billion oil subsidy fraud.
Ali and Taylor were re-arraigned before Justice Mojisola Dada, alongside an oil firm, Nasaman Oil Services Limited, on an amended 57-count charge following new developments in the case.
The defendants were initially arraigned in 2012 on 49 counts, which included conspiracy to obtain money by false pretences, obtaining money by false pretences, forgery, and the use of false documents. The EFCC had claimed that these offenses violated the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act of 2006 and the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
Justice Dada had scheduled Wednesday for the adoption of final written addresses, but when the case was called, EFCC prosecutor Seiduh Atteh informed the court of the amended charges and requested that the defendants enter new pleas.
Defense counsel, Obafemi Kolade (SAN), did not object to the request. The defendants subsequently pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The amended charges allege that Ali, Taylor, Nasaman Oil Services Limited, and two other individuals—Oluwaseun Ogunbambo and Olabisi Abdul Afeez, both still at large—fraudulently obtained funds from the Federal Government around September 9, 2011. They are accused of forging a document titled “GASOLINE ANALYSIS,” allegedly issued by Saybolt Concremat aboard the vessel MT Overseas Limar on that date.
Following the re-arraignment, the defense lawyer requested additional time to amend his written address in response to the new charges.
Justice Dada has adjourned the matter to April 15 for the adoption of final written addresses.
