EFCC to amend charges against Ahmadu Ali’s son

October 31, 2012 by Ade Adesomoju

 

Mamman Ali
| credits: odili.net

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission at a Lagos High Court in Ikeja, on Tuesday sought to amend the fuel subsidy fraud charges it instituted against Mamman Ali and his co-accused, Christian Taylor.

The amendment, according to EFCC, is to enable it to join another accused person, Seun Ogunbambo, who is facing a separate subsidy charge before the same court.

Mamman, son of Ahmadu Ali, a former Chairman of the  Peoples Democratic Party; Taylor; and their company, Nasaman Oil Services, were on July  26, 2012 arraigned before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo on three counts of fuel subsidy fraud involving N2.23bn.

Their trial was scheduled to begin  on Tuesday but it could not proceed due to EFCC’s planned amendment.

Counsel for EFCC, Mr. Francis Usali, told the court that following the agency’s further investigation, it was revealed that Ogunbambo played key roles in the three transactions informing the fresh charge.

Usali said, “The matter was adjourned for commencement of trial, but I wish to inform your Lordship that we cannot proceed because between the last adjourned date and today, some very important issues, which will assist your Lordship to do justice in this charge have come up.

“We intend to join one Seun Ogunbambo in the charge. The three transactions involved in this charge were actually carried out by him and it will only be just for us to add him. We did not have the information before we filed the charge.

“Before the next adjourned date, we would have filed the amended charge.”

Counsel for the defendants, Mr. Toyin Pinheiro (SAN), did not oppose the proposal to amend the charge.

He therefore conceded to an adjournment till November 12.

SOURCE: The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper 31 October 2012.