Categories: Crimes

N1.4bn oil fraud: Defendant in COVID-19 isolation, trial stalled

Abubakar Ali Peters of Nadabo Energy

The ongoing trial of Abubakar Ali Peters and his company, Nadabo Energy Limited, for an alleged N1.4 billion has been stalled as the defendant is presently treating COVID-19 at an isolation centre.

As such, Justice C.A. Balogun of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos could not continue trial on Tuesday, October 5.

At the resumed sitting on Tuesday, Joseph Wheisin, who represented the defence, told the court that the defendant was in isolation.

“My client is in an isolation centre for COVID-19,” he said, as he also presented a document from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), to support his claim.

Wheisin, therefore, prayed the court for an adjournment.

There was no objection from the prosecution.

Thereafter, Justice Balogun told both parties that “my intention is to finish this case this year, including judgement.”

The Judge, therefore, urged both parties “to ensure that there are no longer delays in the trial.”

The case has been adjourned till November 16, 17 and 18, 2021 for continuation of trial.

Peters and his company, Nababo Energy Limited, were arraigned on December 10, 2012 for offences bordering on obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and use of forged documents to the tune of N1, 464, 961, 978.24

They pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.

At the last sitting on March 10, 2021, the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, while testifying as the fifth prosecution witness (PW5) had given further testimony against the defendant.

During the proceedings, the prosecuting counsel, S.K. Atteh, had, through the witness, sought to tender in evidence Proforma Invoice, Commercial Invoice, letter of credit and other documents relating to the alleged fraudulent transaction.

However, the defence team, led by E.O. Isiramen, had raised objections to the admissibility of the documents, including the response from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to the EFCC, with respect to the EFCC’s investigation of the company, which the prosecution also sought to tender against the defendant.