Justice Deinde Dipeolu of a Federal High Court, Lagos, has Issued warrant against one Emmanuel Oku, an employee of Dangote Industries Limited, charged before the court, for allegedly defrauding the company of the sum of N739, 735, 248 million.
Justice Dipeolu issued the Bench warrant against Oku, on Friday, sequel to the application made by the prosecutor, Barrister M. Y. Bello, who told the court that Oku has failed to submit himself for trial, after he was admitted to bail.
The fleeing defendant and others were charged before the court by the Operatives of the Police Special Fraud Unit, PSFU, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Others charged before the court alongside Oku on 11 counts charge are: Ikechukwu Obit, Chigozie Osukwu, Ukaegbu Rex Chukwuma, Umeh Ugochukwu, Akamadu Emmanuella (f), Zango Umar, Shaibu Aichael, Luck Otoide and Mmaduabushi Okezuoni.
Oku and others were charged before the court on offences bothering on alleged conspiracy and fraudulently receiving money from Dangote Transporters contracted to haul Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO) from firm’s deport to Ibese and Obajana plants.
Specifically, all the defendants were alleged to have committed fraud of about N19 billion against Dangote Industries Limited between January 2022 and June 2023.
When the matter came up for hearing on Friday, for the defendants’ re-arraignment, the trial judge, Justice Dipeolu observed the defendants are not complete and hence the arraignment of the defendants was stalled.
Following the development, the prosecutor, Mr. Bello, asked the court for a short adjournment and urged the court to issue a Bench Warrant against the seventh defendant, Emmanuel Oku.
Based on the prosecutor’s request, Justice Dipeolu ordered that a Bench Warrant be issued against the fleeing defendant, Emmanuel Oku, while adjourned the matter to February 25 and 27, for the defendants’ arraignment and continuation of trial
The 11 counts charge against the defendants read: “That you Ikechukwu Obi ‘M’, Chigozie Osukwu ‘M’, Ukaegbu Rex Chukwuma ‘M’, Umeh Ugochukwu ‘M’, Akamadu Emmanuella ‘F’, Zango Mohammed “Umar ‘M’, Emmanuel Oku ‘M’, Shaibu Michael ‘M’, Lucky Otoide ‘M’, Mmaduabuchi Okezuonu and others at Large sometimes in 2022, did conspire amongst yourself to commit felony to wit: Fraudulently receiving ‘money from Dangote Transporters contracted to haul Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO) from Dangote Deport to Ibese and Obajana Plants, which you ought to know formed part of proceeds of crime thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21(a) Money Laundering ( Prevention and Prohibition) Act 202 and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the same Act.
“That you Ikechukwu Obi ‘M’ between June 2022 and December 2022, at Ibese Ogun State, within the Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, while in employment of Arigen Integrated Limited a company sub contracted to inspect accurate delivery of products to Dangote Industries Limited with intent to defraud, did received monetary transfers into your First Bank account number 3022181768 and other private.bank accounts at various times a total sum of N85,895,000 from Dangote Transporters, contracted by the company to convey Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO) from Dangote Deports to Dangote Plants, funds which you knew or ought to have known formed part of proceeds of crime to influence you to carry out unlawful act in your employment, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2) (d) Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and Punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.
“That you Chigozie Osukwu ‘M’ between January, 2022 and June 2023 at Lagos State, within the Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, while in employment of Arigen Integrated Limited, a company sub contracted to inspect accurate delivery of product of Dangote Industries Limited, with intent to defraud, did receive monetary transfers into your Zenith bank account number 2377562240 and Access bank account number 0030758807, at various times a total sum of N88, 075, 375 from Dangote Transporters contracted by the company to haul Automotive Gasoline Oil(AGO) from Dangote Depots to Dangote Plants, funds which you knew or ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of crime to influence you to carry out unlawful act in your employment thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2) (b) Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act
“That you Ukaegbu Chukwuma M, between November, 2022 and September 2023, at Lagos, within the Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, while in employment of Arigen Integrated Limited, a company sub contracted to inspect accurate delivery of products to Dangote Industries Limited, with intent to defraud, did receive monetary transfers into your Zenith account number 2377562240 and Access bank account 0030758807 at various times a total sum of N74, 575, 000 from Okezuonu Maduabuchi, Isreal Christopher and Nzelu Emmnauel, all staff of Argen Integrated Limited, as your share of proceed of Fraudulent diversion of Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO) property of Dangote Industries Limited thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2) Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.
“That you Umeh Ugochukwu ‘M’ between September 2022 and June 2023, at Lagos State, within the Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, while in employment of Arigen Integrated Limited, a company sub contracted to inspect accurate delivery of product of Dangote Industries Limited, with intent to defraud, did receive monetary transfers into your United Bank For Africa account number 2254333516 and other private bank accounts, at various times a total sum of N17, 566, 000 from Chigozie Osukwu (2nd Defendant) and Dangote Transporters, contracted by the company to covey Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO) from Dangote depots to Dangote plants finds which you know or ought to known formed part of proceeds of crime to influence you to carry out unlawful act in your employment, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2) (d) Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.
“That you Akamadu Emmanuella ‘F” between September 2022 d June 2023 at Lagos within the Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, while in employment of Dangote Industries Limited with intent to defraud, did receive monetary transfer of a total sum of N24, 308,000 into your Guaranty Trust Bank account number 0494065874 and other private Bank Accounts, at various times, from Dangote Transporters contracted to covey Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO) from Dangote Depots to Dangote Plants, funds which you knew or ought to have known formed part of proceeds of crime, to influence you carry out unlawful act in your employment thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2) (a) Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.
“That you Zango Umar ‘M’ between January and July 2023, at Lagos within the Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court while in employment of Dangote Industries Limited with intent to defraud, did receive monetary transfers into your Guaranty Trust Bank account number 0004071270 and other private Bank Accounts at various times a total sum of N10, 090, 000 and other private Bank Accounts, at various times from Dangote Transporters contracted by the company to convey Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO) from Dangote Depots to Dangote Plants, funds which you knew or ought to have known formed part of proceeds of crime, to influence you carry out unlawful act in your employment thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2) (d) Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.
“That you Emmanuel Oku ‘M’ between September 2022 and Jure 2023, at Lagos State within the Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court while in employment of Dangote Industries Limited with intent to defraud, did receive monetary transferred into your Zenith Bank Account Number 2003209383 and First Bank Account number 3089284660 at various times a total sum of N68, 626, 000 from Dangote Transporters, contracted by the company to convey Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO) from Dangote Depots to Dangote Plants, funds which you knew or ought to have known formed part of proceeds of crime, to influence you carry out unlawful act in your employment thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 13(2) (a) Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.
“That you Shaibu Michael ‘M” between September 2022 and April 2023, at Lagos, within the Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court while in employment of Obat Limited, a company contracted by Dangote Industries Limited to Trans-load AGO from ship vessels to Dangote Tank Farm, with intent to defraud, did receive monetary transfers into your Access Bank account number 00263118038 and other private bank accounts at various times, a total sum of N49, 476, 875 as share of proceed of Fraudulent diversion of Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO) property of Dangote industries Limited thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.
“That you Lucky Otoide Simon ‘M’ between September 2022 and June 2023, at Lagos within the Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, while in employment with Dangote Industries Limited with intent to defraud, did receive monetary trans‘ers ir‘c your United Bank for Africa with account number: 2039831550, at various times the sum of N16,120,000 from Dangote Transporters contracted by the company to convey Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO) from Dangote Depot to Dangote Plants, funds which you knew or ought to have known formed part of proceeds of crime to influence you to carry out unlawful act in your employment, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.
“That you Mmaduabuchi Okezuonu ‘M” between January, 2022 and June 2023 at Lagos State, within the Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, while in employment of Amaiden Energy Limited, a company sub contracted to inspect accurate delivery of product of Dangote Industries Limited, with intent to defraud, did receive monetary transfers into your Guaranty Trust Bank account number 0431594911 and other private bank accounts at various times a total sum of N305, 000,000 from Dangote Transporters contracted by the company to haul Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO) from Dangote Depots to Dangote Plants, funds which you knew or ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of crime to influence you to carry out unlawful act in your employment thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2)(d) of Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”
