Court Convicts Two Over Phony Crude Oil Deals

Steve Aya

Justice Sodetan  Ogunsanya of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos state, has sentenced two Oil marketers and their companies to seven years imprisonment over phony crude oil deals.

The two business men are Epebinu Omoniyi, his company, Pure Pack Oil Nigeria Ltd, as well as Adekanbi Adedayo and his company, First Hallmark Energy Ltd.

The two were arraigned on an eight count charge before Justice Sodetan  Ogunsanya.

They were first arraigned alongside their companies on October 16, 2017 on the eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy to obtain money by false pretences, obtaining by false pretence, conspiracy to commit felony and forgery. 

According to the charge: “Epebinu Omoniyi, Adekanbi Adedayo, First Hallmark Energy Ltd, Pure Pack Oil Limited, Titus Adegoke (at large) and Demola Omisore (at large) on or about the 8th day of December, 2014 at Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N3,000,000 (Three Million Naira) from Ayo Faleti under the false representation that you have secured a contract from Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to supply crude oil from Nigeria to the United States of America, and that the sum represented one percent contract performance bond payment, which representation you knew to be false.

“Epebinu Omoniyi, Adekanbi Adedayo, First Hallmark Energy Ltd, Pure Pack Oil Limited, Titus Adegoke (at large) and Demola Omisore (at large) on or about the 22nd day of October, 2014 at Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud Ayo Faleti, forged a document titled: To whom it may concern, Letter of Authority to sell Bonny Light Crude and to represent the NNPC/Shell JV Operators Bonny Terminal issued in favour of Pure Pack Oil Nigeria Limited dated 22nd October 2014 purporting same to be issued by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).”

They pleaded “not guilty’ of the charges.

During the course of the trial, the Prosecuting counsel,  Samuel Owede, presented four witnesses and tendered 12 exhibits to prove the case of the Prosecution against the Defendants. 

Justice Ogunsanya, in her judgement discharged and acquitted the two men and their companies on count six, and held that the Prosecution proved the other counts against them beyond reasonable doubt.

The trial Judge thereafter, found them guilty as charged and sentenced Epebinu Omoniyi and Adekanbi Adedayo to seven years imprisonment  on counts one and two, and three years on counts three, four, five, seven and eight. The companies were also each fined N100,000 having been found guilty of counts one and two. The sentences are to run concurrently.