Court Jails Indian National Chandra Prankash Singh For 10 Years Over N800 Million Procurement Fraud In Lagos

The Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Singh on November 24, 2022, on a 19-count charge of retaining stolen property and bribery amounting to N816,361,386.75 (Eight Hundred and Sixteen Million, Three Hundred and Sixty-One Thousand, Three Hundred and Eighty-Six Naira, Seventy-Five Kobo).

One of the charges stated:

“That Chandra Prankash Singh, on or before January 1, 2021, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while in the employment of African Natural Resources and Mines Limited, indirectly solicited an undue advantage for your company, CVN Engineering Limited, to influence your employer to award a supply contract worth N365,757,457.00 to CVN Engineering Limited.”

Another charge read:

“That Chandra Prankash Singh, on or before January 1, 2021, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while in the employment of African Natural Resources and Mines Limited, indirectly solicited an undue advantage for your company, Neo Paints Nigeria Limited, to influence your employer to award a supply contract worth N243,141,638.75 to Neo Paints Nigeria Limited.”

Additionally, he was accused of dishonestly retaining $4,150 belonging to African Natural Resources and Mines Limited.

Singh pleaded not guilty to all charges, leading to a full trial.

During the proceedings, the EFCC prosecution counsel, Bilikisu Buhari, called nine witnesses and presented documentary evidence to substantiate the charges against him.

Delivering judgment on February 27, 2025, Justice Ijelu found Singh guilty on counts 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison without an option of fine and ordered to pay restitution of N345 million to his victim.