EFCC Arraigns Two In Port Harcourt For Alleged N10.7m Oil Fraud

The Port Harcourt Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday arraigned Chukwuma Samuel Kaniku and Muhammad Abdullahi before Justice S. I. Mark of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N10.7 million.

One of the count charges read: “That you Chukwuma Samuel Kaniku and Muhammad Abdullahi between the month of April to July, 2018 at Port Harcourt, Rivers State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud did obtain the sum of Ten Million, Seven Hundred Naira (N10,700.000.00) only from one Aliyu Baba Muhammad into Account Number: 0059009063 domiciled in Access Bank Plc operated by you under the false pretence that the said sum was payment for the supply of 9 Trucks of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), a pretext you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act”.

They, however, pleaded “not guilty” to the charges preferred against them.

In view of their pleas, prosecution counsel, N. A. Dodo, prayed the court to fix a date for commencement of trial.

However, counsel to the first defendant, S. U. Amakiri, made an oral application for the bail of his client but it was declined by the court.

Also, counsel to the second defendant, M. M. Suleiman, prayed the court for a short adjournment to enable him to file an application for the bail of his client.

Justice Mark ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre and adjourned the matter till July 14, 2021, for hearing of bail applications.

Kaniku and Abdullahi ran into trouble when a petitioner alleged that they defrauded him in the sum of Ten Million Seven Hundred Thousand Naira (N10, 700,000.00), an amount he paid them to supply 9 trucks of Automotive GAs Oil (AGO) from a registered depot in Port Harcourt, Rivers State

He also alleged that the defendants promised to deliver the consignment upon payment of the agreed sum but refused to supply the products as agreed.