AN Ikeja High Court, Lagos was Wednesday told by a prosecution witness, Mr. Oliver Chineke, that three oil marketers, Opeyemi Ajuyah and Olarenwaju Olalusi, forged documents to obtain N1.1 billion fuel subsidy payment.
In his testimony before the court presided by Justice Lateefat Okunnu at the ongoing- trial of the marketers and their firms - Majope Investment Ltd. and Axenergy Ltd., Chineke said about 4,000 metric tonnes out of the 15,000 metric tonnes were brought in by a vessel, MT Brave at the Lister Jetty in Apapa between January 22 and 23, 2011.
Chineke, who was led in evidence, said he sent one of the company's surveyors, Mohammed Adedapo to inspect the vessel after he was contacted to inspect the vessel on behalf of Majope Investment Ltd.
The former Lagos branch manager of Q and Q Control Marine Services Nigeria Ltd, who was led in evidence by EFCC counsel, Mr Francis Usani told the court that his company was contracted by Oando Oil and Gas Plc to inspect the quantity of products brought in by a vessel, MT Brave on behalf of Majope Investment Ltd.
Chineke said he had sent one of the company's surveyors, Mohammed Adedapo to inspect the vessel.
The result of the inspection, he stated revealed that the vessel brought in 15,000 metric tonnes and discharged about 4,000 metric tonnes at the Lister Jetty in Apapa between January 22 and 23, 2011.
"The remaining quantity on board was taken away by the vessel, prompting Adedapo to write a protest letter to the ship's captain," he said.
Chineke further said that the EFCC later wrote the company to verify the documents tendered by the defendants showing that 15,000 metric tonnes was discharged.
He said: "When I looked at the Shore Tank Certificate in our file, it showed that about 4,000 metric tonnes was discharged.
"The copy forwarded to us by the EFCC was showing that 15,000 metric tonnes was discharged.
"It is not feasible to have two Shore Tank Certificate with different figures from the same inspectorate company."
Chineke said it was on this basis that he wrote a letter dated August 22, 2012 to the EFCC confirming that the documents with 15,000 metric tonnes did not emanate from the company.
The letter was admitted by the court as Exhibit P8.
Under cross-examination by the defendants counsel, Messrs Oludare Falana, O. Awonuga and Dada Awosika, the witness admitted that there was no unique feature in the certificate.
He insisted that the company thoroughly cross-checked the figures and quantity of the transaction before sending its report to Oando Oil and Gas Plc.
Meanwhile, the judge has granted Olalusi permission to travel to the United Kingdom for two weeks for business purposes.
In granting Olalusi's application, the judge said there was no evidence before the court showing that he would abscond if his application to travel was granted.
Okunnu therefore, ordered the court's chief registrar to release his international passport to enable him embark on the trip.
The judge ordered Olalusi to return the international passport to the chief registrar on the next working day after his return.
The matter was adjourned till October 21 for continuation of trial.
The Guardian