By Akinwale Akintunde
The trial of Abdullahi Alao, son of prominent Ibadan-based businessman, Alhaji Abdullazeez Arisekola-Alao, and four others for an alleged N1.1 billion fuel subsidy fraud continued Tuesday, as a prosecution witness, Mr Irene Moses, told an Ikeja High Court how the fraud was detected.
Moses told the court presided by Justice Lateefa Okunnu that the defendants did not discharge 15,000 metric tonnes of fuel as claimed.
Alao alongside two other oil marketers, Opeyemi Ajuyah and Olarenwaju Olalusi and their companies, Majope Investment Limited and Axenergy Limited were being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for fraudulently obtaining N1.1 billion fuel subsidy payment from the federal government.
Moses, a Terminal Manager with Oando Oil and Gas Plc, who was led in evidence by EFCC counsel, Mr. Francis Usani, said 4,700 metric tonnes of fuel as was discharged instead of 15,000 metric tonnes as claimed by Mojasope Investment Limited.
The witness said what normally happens was that it normally takes up to three to four days to discharge a 15,000 metric tonnes of fuel, but stated that it was discovered that the volume discharged by the company of the defendants was done within a day and some hours.
He explained that there was no way 15,000 metric tonnes of fuel could be discharged within one day and some hours as claimed by the defendant.
The witness said the supervisor later told him that 4,700 metric tonnes of fuel was discharge instead of 15,000 metric tonnes as agreed, by Mojasope Investment Limited.
According to him, Majope was to discharge the products at the Lister Jetty in Apapa that was being used as a tank farm by Oando before January 4, 2011.
“Oando appointed a surveyor, Q and Q Control Services Limited, to inspect the products when it was brought by Majope Investment.
Asked by the defence counsel whether the manager check the related documents before and after the discharge of the mother vessel.
The witness said the terminal manager only handles the transaction document between the two vessels.
Justice Okunnu adjourned the matter till May 21, 2013 for continuation of trial.
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