Crime & Law

JUST IN: Court frees Omokore, two firms in alleged oil fraud

Published

1 month ago

7 February 2023

Francis Adakole

JUST IN Court frees Omokore two firms in alleged oil fraud

A Federal High Court in Abuja has discharged and acquitted businessman, Jide Omokore and his firms – Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Limited – charged with allegedly diverting about $1.6billion.

Omokore, his firms and one Kola Akanni Aluko (now at large), were accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of diverting the said funds which it claimed formed part of proceeds of the sale of petroleum products belonging to the Federal Government under the Strategic Alliance Agreement (SAA) entered with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) under the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, in a judgment on Tuesday, convicted a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC), Victor Briggs and ex-Group Executive, Exploration & Production of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Abiye Membere for public corruption.

The two, though discharged and acquitted on other charges against them, were convicted for accepting gifts of Mercedes Benz and Range Rover cars from Omokore.

Justice Dimgba ordered that Briggs and Membere be remanded in the custody of the EFCC pending their sentencing scheduled for February 8.

More details shortly…

(Nations)