Oil Firm CEO Arraign In Court For Allegedly Defrauding Bank N4.4bn

By Babatunde Solanke

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday docked the Chief Executive Officer of Emee Oil And Gas Nigeria Limited, Florence Onojame, for allegedly defrauding Access Bank of N4.4 billion.

Onojame appeared before an Ikeja Special Offences Court alongside her company on a three-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and receiving fraudulently obtained property.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
EFCC counsel, Mr Fatai Mohammed, thereafter prayed to the court for a trial date and remand of the defendant.

Mohammed told the court the defendant committed the offences with four others at large sometime in February 2022 in Lagos.

The counsel said that the defendant stole N4.4 billion, which she fraudulently transferred via Primus Plus, an electronic banking platform of Access Bank, using her company’s login details.

He added that the defendant further transferred the sum into several accounts domiciled with the bank.

The prosecution counsel further submitted that the defendant retained the control of N100 million in her Access Bank account with the name of her company and transferred the sum from Total Energy Nig. Ltd. account, knowing the same to be proceeds of criminal activities.

Defence counsel Williams Onate, however, informed the court that a bail application for his client had been filed before the court and served on the prosecution.

“We will be praying for a short adjournment for hearing of the bail application and that the defendant be ordered to remain in the custody of the EFCC,” Onate said.

According to EFCC, the alleged offences contravene Sections 278, 326 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Justice Mojisola Dada ordered that the defendant should be kept at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending the hearing of her bail application.

Dada adjourned the case until October 10 for a hearing of the bail application.