Shell/ Gbaran-Ubie Project Fraud: How N1.9bn Was Withdrawn -Witness

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, February 13, 2014, presented two more witnesses before Justice Gladys Olotu of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, in the ongoing trial of the twelve persons for conspiracy and fraud in the Shell Gbaran-Ubie oil and Gas integrated Project in Bayelsa State

The accused are Chidi David Adabanya and Benneth Ezekiel-Hart, both ex-staff of Shell; Andrew Feyaikebena Ebakpa, Kwokwo Ebiki Bina, Bolouwenimo Kwokwo and Presley Ebakpa, ( all officials of Bayelsa state). The others are companies belonging to the accused persons – Forstech Technical Nigeria Limited, Gastroil Ventures Limited, Bikyiis Integrated Services Limited, Fun-Ala Nigeria Limited, Fambo Integrated Services Limited and Uzoma Ibe, an ally of Chidi Adabanya.
 
The accused persons are alleged to have between April and July 2010 transferred various sums of money totalling about N1.9 billion from Forstech Technical Nigeria Limited in StanbicIBTC Bank to Gastroil Venture Limited’s account with StanbicIBTC Stockbrokers Limited, in an attempt to disguise the illicit origin of the fund which is alleged to be phony consultancy service charge for Shell to secure construction permit for the Gbaran-Ubie project from the Bayelsa State Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
 
At the resumed hearing, prosecution witness, Francis Onodingene, a former manager of StanbicIBTC Bank, Warri, told the court how, through the influence of Chidi Adabanya of Shell Petroleum Development Company, Warri, Forstech Technical Nigeria Limited’s dormant account with the bank domiciled in Lagos was reactivated and moved to Warri, and how the sum of N1.9 billion was paid into the account in three tranches. The former bank manager revealed that Adabanya introduced him to the 4th accused person, Uzoma Ibe, an account officer of the company to manage the account.  He said Adabanya gave instructions that all enquiries about the said account should be directed to Uzoma Ibe.
The eleventh prosecution witness, Abubakar Omede, an operative of the EFCC told the court that he led a team of investigators to the Gbaran-Ubie project in Bayelsa state. He revealed that his team could not find any record of Forstech Technical activities at the pant. Neither was there anything on ground to show their presence.
Also, he said Forstech Technical’s supposed office in Warri turned out to be a residential building with no evidence that the company had ever occupied the building
He also told the court that the supposed residence of the two directors of the company in Warri could not be found as the addresses are non- existent; that Zubairu Umar and Haliru Umar were fictitious names.
Justice Olotu adjourned the matter to March 19 to 21 and May 13 to 15, 2014 for continuation of trial.
The accused who were arraigned on June 18, 2012 had pleaded “not guilt” to a 22 count charge that borders on money laundering.
One of the charges read, “that you Chidi David Adabanya and Forstech Technical Nigeria Limited between April 2010 and July 2010 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court transferred the total sum of N927,191,277,98 (nine hundred and twenty seven million, one hundred and ninety one thousand, two hundred and seventy seven naira, ninety eight kobo) being property derived from an illegal act from the account of Forstech Technical Nigeria Limited with Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc to Gastroil Ventures Limited Stock Broking account with the Stanbic IBTC StockBrokers Limited with the aim of concealing its illicit origin and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 14(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act of 2004”.

 Media & Publicity
14th February, 2014