A Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja has convicted and sentenced Mamman Nasir Ali, the son of former Peoples Democratic Party national chairman, Ahmadu Ali, and a Sierra Leonean, Christian Taylor, to 14 years imprisonment each over a N2.2 billion oil subsidy fraud.
The duo was sentenced alongside an oil firm, Nass Man Oil Services Limited.
Justice Mojisola Dada delivered the judgment, saying she found the evidence presented by the prosecution compelling.
“I find the evidence presented by the prosecution compelling,” she said.
The judge ruled that the actions of the convicts not only defrauded the government but also undermined the integrity of Nigeria’s oil subsidy programme.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned the defendants in 2012 on a 49-count charge of conspiracy to obtain money by false pretences, obtaining money by false pretences, forgery, and the use of false documents.
The anti-graft agency claimed that the offences violated the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act of 2006 and the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
The EFCC accused the convicts of fraudulently obtaining N2.2 billion from the Federal Government under the petroleum subsidy scheme on or about September 9, 2011.
The agency said the convicts presented forged documents, including a falsified “Gasoline Analysis” report for MT Overseas Limar, purportedly issued by Saybolt Concremat.
Apart from the jail term, the court also ordered the forfeiture of identified assets and accounts linked to the fraud.
The judge further issued a warrant for the arrest of two other suspects, Oluwaseun Ogunbambo and Olabisi Abdul Afeez, who were said to still be at large.
The conviction and sentencing of Mamman Nasir Ali and Christian Taylor serve as a warning to those who seek to defraud the government and undermine the integrity of Nigeria’s oil subsidy programme.
The EFCC’s efforts to investigate and prosecute such cases demonstrate its commitment to fighting corruption and ensuring accountability in the country.
