N1.5bn subsidy scam: How Anosyke Group Sold Import Permit to Dell Energy

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday April 1, 2014, told an Ikeja High court how Emeka Chukwu sold an import permit granted to Ifeanyi Anosyke and his company, Anosyke Group of Company to Ngozi Ekeoma, owner of Dell Energy Limited.

Anosyke Group of Companies, Ifeanyi Anosyke, Ngozi Ekeoma, Emeka Chukwu and Dell Energy Limited were dragged to court by the EFCC for alleged conspiracy to obtain by false pretence and forgery the sum of N1, 537,278,880.82( One Billion, Five Hundred and Thirty Seven Million, Two Hundred and Seventy Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty Naira, Eighty-Two  Kobo ) from the Petroleum Support Fund as subsidy for the purported supply of 15, 000 metric tonnes of Premium Motor Spirit.

At the resumed hearing of the case Tuesday,  EFCC witness Mrs. Oghare Ebunu told the court that despite the terms of the import permit that which forbids it’s transference,Chukwu still went ahead and sold it to the owner of Dell Energy Limited (Ngozi Ekeoma).

According to the witness, “even though Ifeanyi Anosike claimed not to have any knowledge of the sale of the permit, investigation revealed that the transaction was jointly carried out by all the defendants, as they all benefited from it financially”.

Ebunu also told the court how  Ekeoma opened an account with Sterling Bank for the purpose of the subsidy payment, using Anosyke’s name while she made two of her staff signatories to the said account. According to her, all the documents used in opening the account were brought by Emeka Chukwu, including a board resolution on Anosyke’s letter head and signed by the owner of the company, Ifeanyi Anosike.

According to the witness, forensic analysis by the EFCC revealed that the signature used in opening the Sterling Bank account, was not the same as the one signed by Ifeanyi Anosike on the board resolution document. Similarly, it was also discovered that the letter headed paper used in opening the said account was fake.

The witness further told the court that the purported SGS Inspection Services Nigeria Limited verification document submitted by Ekeoma for subsidy payment were forged as the inspection company confirmed that the said documents did not emanate from it.

Investigation, the witness said,  showed that subsidy payment was made to the defendants through the Sterling Bank account.

Counsel to Anosyke, Layi Babatunde, SAN, then prayed the court to adjourn to April 28, 2014, to enable the defense study the court record and familiarise with the testimony of the witness before cross-examination. But the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, objected and sued for the witness to be cross examined April 2, 2014.

After listening to the submissions of both counsel, Justice Lawal Akapo then adjourned the case to April 28, 2014, for cross examination of the witness.

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Media & Publicity
1st April, 2014