Court Acquits, Discharges Oil Marketer of $100,000 Fraud

By Stephen Aya / posted May 20, 2024

A Lagos Federal High Court, on Friday, acquitted and discharged an oil marketer, Aleem Suleiman Olaitan, of $100,00.00 USD fraud, filed against him by the police.

The Trial Judge Justice Abdulaziz Anka, in acquitting and discharging the oil marketer of the four counts amended charge, filed by the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), held that the prosecution failed woefully to prove every ingredient of allegations beyond every reasonable doubt.

Apart from acquitting and discharging the businessman of the allegations, the judge also ordered the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Ikoyi, Lagos, to release to him all his properties seized by the police.

The oil marketer, Aleem Suleiman Olaitan, was first arraigned before the court on March 8, 2016, on two counts charge of alleged false pretence and fraudulently obtaining the sum of $100, 000 USD, from a foreign company, Topkings Partner (HK) Limited, under the pretence of supplying petroleum product.

The allegations which he vehemently denied and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following his not-guilty plea, the prosecution opened its case and called a total of seven witnesses as well, tendered some documents, which were admitted as exhibits by the court.

Upon conclusion of the prosecution’s case, the oil marketer opened his defence and maintained his innocence on all the charges.

At the resumed hearing of the matter on January this year, the prosecutor, Mr. Emmanuel Jackson, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), who is also Head of PSFU’s Legal and Prosecution Section, informed the court of the amended charge against the defendant.

This was however opposed by the lawyer to the oil marketer, Mr. Chimezie Victor Ihekweazu (SAN), who vehemently opposed the prosecution’s application for not obtaining the leave of court.

Upon the objection raised by the defence team, the presiding judge, Justice Anka, ordered parties to file their addresses on whether the prosecution can amend charges without leave of the court.

Ruling on submissions of parties, Justice Anka cited a series of legal authorities, while dismissing the objection raised by the defence, and held that the prosecution did not need the leave of the court to amend charges in a criminal case. The judge consequently ordered that the defendant take his plea based on the amended charge.

In the amended charge, the oil marketer, who operates under the name and style of Alimity Obanisare Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited, was alleged of inducing the foreign company, Topkings Partner (HK) Limited, to enter into a contract with him and falsely claimed to be a reliable businessman who could supply crude oil to them in China, by falsely told them that he was in a joint venture with NNPC.

He was also alleged to have fraudulently obtained the sum of $100, 000 USD, through his FCMB account, that the money would be used to lift and ship the crude oil to the company in China.

He was also alleged to have forged several documents which include: Letter of Authorization; Certificate of Quality; Certificate of Origin; Letter of Acceptance; Certificate of Compliance and a Letter of Introduction, purporting them to have emanated from NNPC and NNPC Joint Venture Operators in Bonny Island, Rivers State, which he allegedly to defraud his victim, Topkings Partner (HK) Nigeria Limited.

CSP Jackson told the court that the offences contravened sections 1 (1) (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 but were punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act. Section 15(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended in 2012 but punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.

The prosecutor also said the offences contravened section 465 of the Criminal Code, Cap C 38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 but punishable under Section 467 of the same Code. Section 468 of the Criminal Code, Cap C 38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 but punishable under Section 467 of the same Code.

In defending the above allegations, the oil marketer consistently said that he was never an agent of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).

He also told the court that his inability to fulfill his parts of the contract with the foreign company was largely caused by Topkings Partner (HK) Limited, in fulfilling its terms of the contract.

The oil marketer, through his lawyer, therefore urged the court to dismiss all the charges against him.

Delivering judgment on the matter, Justice Anka, after analyzing both parties’ submissions, and exhibits tendered and citing a series of plethora of legal authorities, held that the prosecution failed to establish all the ingredients of the charges against the oil marketer.

In particular, the judge held that most of the witnesses called by the prosecution were not necessary witnesses to the matter.

Justice Anka also held that the prosecution failed to investigate the claim of the oil marketer on his claim of the agency he worked for.

Consequently, the judge held that the prosecution failed to establish the offenses of conspiracy obtaining by false pretense, fraud, and forgery against the oil marketer.

After acquitting and discharging the oil marketer, the judge also ordered the PSFU to release all properties seized from him, in the cause of investigation and trial of the charge.

Justice Anka ordered: “It is hereby declared that the Defendant is not guilty of all the offences charged and you are hereby discharged and acquitted.

“All the properties forfeited are hereby ordered to be returned to the defendant.

“An order of this honorable is hereby granted unfreezing the money in account No. 0031104453 With account name ALIMITY OBANISARE & GAS NIG. LTD operated by the defendant in Sterling Bank Plc.

“The landed property situated at No. 2, Oke-Amu Avenue, off Governor’s Road, Ikotun, Lagos covered by Deed of Assignment and other Title Deeds temporarily forfeited is hereby ordered to be returned to the defendant.”