Former Eunisell MD, Amadi Denies Defrauding Company of N2.9bn
Wale Igbintade
Former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Eunisell Limited, Kenneth Amadi, has told Justice Ambrose Allagoa of the Federal High Court Lagos that he did not steal N2.9 billion as alleged by the federal government.
Amadi made the clarification when he opened his defence in an alleged N2. 9 billion fraud charge filed against him by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
He said he joined the company sometime in 2000 based on an oral agreement and that he helped grow Eunisell’s business from a paltry sum of N8 million to billions of naira when he was about exiting the company in 2016.
Amadi said that there was no problem between him and Mr. Chika Ikenga, Chairman and owner of Eunisell Nigeria Limited throughout his 16 and a half years he was with him until 2016 when he decided to leave the company and concentrate on his own company.
The defendant, a Chemical Engineer by profession, said in his testimony that when he decided to leave the company to concentrate on his own business, he went to meet Mr. Ikenga to inform him about the development.
According to Amadi, immediately he informed him (Ikenga) about the position, Ikenga got angry and started threatening him saying that it was not possible for him to start a business that will compete with his own.
He added that Mr. Ikenga vowed to make sure that he destroyed him and the business.
Going further Amadi said on October 28, 2016, the chairman invited him to his office where he met him and one of his friends, adding at that meeting, the chairman again repeated his threat to destroy him with all the means at his disposal.
Amadi added that while this was going on, the chairman’s friend who was at the meeting was videoing what was happening and that it was at the meeting that Ikenga asked him to tender his letter of resignation, despite the fact that he was not given any letter of employment.
“I tendered the resignation letter to show good faith and not that I was under any obligation to do so,” the defendant said.
Amadi testified that apart from promoting the company’s image, he used his influence to bear on the company to the extent that many big companies like A-Z International, Ammasco Ltd, the Nigerian Air Force, Navy among others started to buy the company’s lubricant oil. The Navy and the likes were buying Ammasco’s products through my efforts and expertise.
He said that not long after the October meeting with Ikenga and his friend, Ikenga started writing to his business partners, including foreign partners telling them initially that he stole his money. He said Ikenga’s action/motive is just to tarnish his image.
“Ikenga Chika and Eunisell’s intentions were to destroy my business relationship with Chevron Oronite,” Amadi told the court.
The defendant denied ever stealing the company money in any sum and that all the money paid through him were delivered to the company and acknowledged by the company finance manager who was directly responsible to the chairman.
He said he was not in any way connected to the books of the company or the company’s finances except the money paid to him by some of the clients he introduced to the company who paid money through him to ensure that their money is save and that all the money were paid to the company without any issue or problem.
He told the court that in December 2016, Ikenga and Eunisell wrote a petition to the police alleging that he stole his N102 million but that the police after investigation exonerated him of all the allegations.
When asked if the 3rd prosecution witness DCP Ada Uche Anya was in the police team that investigated him, Amadi said that the female police officer was never in the team, adding that he never seen her before or knew her except surprisingly the day she came and gave evidence in the court on the petition she was not part of the team that investigated it.
“I did not steal Eunisell’s N2.9 billion or any of their money as the account of the company was not part of his duties neither am I a signatory to the company’s account or in charge of loading their product. He got all the monies
“My schedule is to look for business opportunities for the company which I did to the best of my ability and to the good of the company. I did not breach any trust. He enjoyed the mutual agreement he had with me because he was getting the money from the contacts I brought into Eunisell and he knew where the money was coming from and confirmed receipt for all monies paid into Eunisell account.”
The judge adjourned the case till October 20 for adoption of written addresses by parties.
