For allegedly forging documents of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the duo of Epebinu Omoniyi and Adekanbi Adedayo, were on Monday arraigned at an Ikeja High Court.
Omoniyi who is the Managing Director of Pure Pack Oil Nigeria Ltd. and Adedayo the Managing Director of First Hallmark Energy Ltd. are facing an eight-count charge, bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence and forgery.
They are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
However, the duo, who also allegedly defrauded one Ayo Falati, a business partner of N3 million denied the charges preferred against them.
According to the prosecution led by M.S. Owede, the directors committed the offences in 2014 in Lagos alongside one Titus Adegoke and Demola Omisore, who are both at large.
“On Oct. 22, 2014, the defendants forged a document entitled ‘Letter of authority to sell Bonny light crude oil and to represent the NNPC/Shell JV Operators Bonny Terminal.
The letter was purportedly issued in favour of Pure Pack Oil Nigeria Ltd., dated Oct. 22, 2014, and issued by the NNPC.
“On October 28, 2014, the defendants forged a document titled ‘Re-confirmation of allocation in favour of Pure Pack Oil Nigeria Ltd. and also purportedly issued by the NNPC.
“On December 15, 2014, a document purported to be from the NNPC entitled ‘Authority to sell cargo on board MT Gloric’ alleged to be issued in favour of Pure Pack Oil Nigeria Ltd. and Dafar Oil and Gas, was forged by the defendants.
The prosecutor also said that on Dec. 8, 2014, the defendants fraudulently obtained N3 million from their business partner, Falati under false pretence.
“They falsely informed him after showing him the forged documents that they had secured a contract from the NNPC to supply crude oil from Nigeria to the United States of America.
“The defendants told Falati that the N3 million they received from him represents one percent contract performance bond payment,” he said.
After the pleas of the defendants were taken, Owede requested that they should be remanded in prison.
However, counsel to Omoniyi, N.D. Momoh requested for more time to file a bail application, while J. Opara, Counsel to Adedayo, urged the court to grant his client bail in the interest of justice.
Justice Sedotan Ogunsanya granted Adedayo bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties in like sum.
The judge, however, remanded Omoniyi in the Kirikiri Prisons and adjourned the case to Dec. 13 for the commencement of trial.