Woman Arraigned for Allegedly Defraud Envoy, Others of N364m, $7m USD

Woman Arraigned for Allegedly Defraud Envoy, Others of N364m, $7m USD

Men of Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID) Annex, Alagbon-Ikoy, Lagos, have arraigned a woman,  Mrs. Blessing Ogwatta, over allegedly defraud an Ambassador and others to the tune of N364, 072 million and $7 million USD, before a Federal High Court, Lagos.

Blessing, a former Head of Logistics, Jezco Oil Nigeria Limited, was arraigned before Justice Nicholas Oweibo led-court, on five  count charges of conspiracy, obtaining under false pretence and stealing.

She was alleged to have committed the alleged fraud with others. said to be at large, between November 2012 and August 2019, at SPOG Petrochemical Limited, Wharf, Apapa, Lagos.

The prosecutor, Mr. Boniface Asogwa, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) while arraigning the defendant on Thursday, told the court that the defendant with an intent to defraud, fraudulently obtained the sum of $7 million USD from her former employer, Jezco Oil Nigeria Limited, under the pretence of using it for importation of Base Oil and purchase plots of Land for the construction of e Blending Plant at Ibeju-Lekki for the aforesaid company, but fraudulently converted N7.5 million, part of $7 million USD, to her your own use, by buying land and building a residential house at Forthright Garden Estate Magbaro Obafemi Owode Local Government Area, Ogun State.

She was also alleged to have fraudulently received the sum of N40 million, from one Ambassador Ndubuisi V. Amaku, for oil and gas business but ended up converting N27 million, part of the money to her personal use.

DCP Asogwa, who is also the Officer-In-Charge of Legal Department of ForceCID, Alagbon, Ikoyi, further stated before the court that the defendant, fraudulently obtained the sum of N44, 072 million, from Emeka Okafor under the pretence of doing Additive Importation Business with him, but fraudulently converted N13 million part of the money to herself.

The defendant was also alleged to have dishonstly stole the sum of N18 million, part of N262 million loan obtained by her employer, Jezco Oil Nigeria Limited, from First City Monument Bank Plc.

The  offences according to the prosecutor, DCP Asogwa are contrary to sections 8(3); 1(a); 1(c) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act. And 390 (9) of the Criminal Act Cap C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. 

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges. 

Following the defendant’s plea of not guilty, DCP Asogwa, asked the court for a trial date and urged the court to remand her in the custody of Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS) pending the determination of the charges against her.

However, counsel to the defendant, Mr. O. Fatoki, while not opposing the prosecutor’s request for trial date, informed the court that he has filed the defendant’s bail application and same has been served on the prosecutor, whom he said had responded.

Upon hearing arguments on the bail application, Justice Nicholas Oweibo,  admitted bail to the defendant in the sum of N10 million with two sureties in like sum.

The sureties who must be landed property owners within the court’s jurisdiction, must also present to court evidence of tax payment and means of livelihood.

The judge ordered that the bail terms are to be verified by the Court’s Deputy Chief Registrar (DCR). While also ordered that the defendant is to be remanded at ForceCID, Annex, Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos, pending the fulfilment of the bail terms.

Defendant’s trial has been fixed for October 22, 2020.
Charges Against The Defendant Read: “That you Blessing Ogwatta ‘F’ and other now at large between 27th November, 2012 and 15th August, 2019, at SPOG Petrochemical Limited, Wharf, Apapa, Lagos, Lagos, within the Jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, conspired among yourselves to commit felony to wit Obtaining Money by False Pretence and Stealing and thereby committed tut offence contrary to section 8(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Freud Related Offence: Act No. 14 of 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.

“That you Blessing Ogwatta ‘F’ and others now at large on the mentioned date, place and within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, obtained Seven Million United States Dollar ($7,000.000 00) from Jezco Oil Nigeria Limited, under the pretence to use some for importation of Base Oil and purchase plots of Land for the construction of e Blending Plant at Ibeju-Lekki for the aforesaid company, representation you knew to be false a you fraudulently convened Seven million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira, (N7,500, 000.00) part of the said sum to your own use I: you bought Land with the said sum and built a residential house for yourself at Forthright Garden Estate Magboro Obafemi Owode Local Government Area, Ogun State among other: and thereby commuted In offence contrary to section 1(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006 end punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act. 

“That you Blessing Ogwatta, ‘F’ and others now at large on the mentioned date, place and within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, obtained Forty Million Naira (N40. 000, 000. 00) from Ambassador Ndubuisi V. Amnku under a false pretence of doing Chemical and Oil Business with him, a presentation you knew to be false as you fraudulently convened Twenty Seven Million Naira (N27, 000.000 00) part of the nut sum to your own use and thereby commuted an once contrary to section I(e) of the Advance Fee Fund and other Fraud Related offences Act No 14 of 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act. 

“That you Blessing Ogwatta, ‘F’ and others now at large on the mentioned date, place and within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud. obtained Forty Four Million, Seventy Two Thousand Naira (N44, 072, 000 00) from Emeka Okafor under a false pretence of doing Additive Importation Business with him, a representation you knew to be false as you fraudulently convened Thirteen million Naira (N13, 000, 000, 00) part of the said sum to your personal use and thereby commuted an offence contrary to section 1(c) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act. 

“That you BLESSING OGWA’I‘I‘A ‘F’ and others now at large on the aforesaid date. place and within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did steal the sum of Two Hundred and Sixty Two Million Naira (N262,000.000.00) property of Jezco Oil Nigeria Limited, being proceeds of sales of products financed wrth I loan facility granted to Jezco Oil Nigeria Limited, by First City Monument Bank (FCMB) which you fraudulently converted to your own use and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 390 (9) of the Criminal Code Act Cap C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. 

“That you Blessing Ogwatta, ‘F’ and others now at large on the aforesaid date. place and within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did steal the sum of Eighteen Million Naira (N18.000, 000.00) being proceeds of sale of Oil products property of Jezco Oil Nigeria Limited, as you dishonestly diverted same to your personal account and fraudulently converted same to your own use before the fraud was discovered and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 390 (9) of the Criminal Act Cap C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”