More than 11 marketers were yesterday grilled by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with the N382billion fuel subsidy fraud uncovered by the Presidential Committee on Verification and Reconciliation of Fuel Subsidy Payments.
The committee was headed by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Plc, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede.
Some of the marketers might be arraigned before the Lagos High Court of Justice next week.
According to investigation, the affected oil marketing and trading companies (OM&T) were grilled for six hours in Abuja on the contentious N382billion subsidy cash.
It was learnt that some of the marketers had hectic time explaining why they benefited from subsidy payment without importing fuel.
Others faced the panel on inflation of subsidy funds accruable to some OM &T; irregular payment; sheer fraudulent cases; abuse of process; short-time certificate issues.
A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “We quizzed some big marketers, who had been indicted by the Presidential Committee. We have been interacting with them and conducting discreet investigation into their role in subsidy fraud.
“We have established some cases against them and fairness requires that we should grill them with facts and figures available to the anti-graft agency.
“So, as we were asking them questions, the lot fell on them to defend allegations of how they cooked records against them. Some of them were also grilled on inflation of imported products and why they got subsidy funds in excess of what they ‘purportedly imported.’
“For this batch of marketers, whom we interacted with for six hours, we are on the last lap of the investigation into their activities.
“The next stage is criminal prosecution of marketers and companies involved in the subsidy fraud.”
Replying a question, the source added: “Going by the network of syndicates involved in the scandal, it is not a case you can handle overnight.
“I can confirm to you that we have made tremendous progress in our investigation.
“I think some of the suspects might be arraigned next week before Lagos High Court of Justice after the conclusion of this lap of investigation.”
The source however refused to disclose the identities of the marketers that were quizzed yesterday.
The source simply said: “I think by next week, we will unveil these suspects who will face trial.”
The Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, who spoke with our correspondent, said: “As part of our ongoing investigation into the subsidy payments, this commission interacted with some marketers in Abuja .
“But I do not have the details. The commission will make relevant information available as it has always done.”
SOURCE: 7 November 2012.
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