The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday re-arraigned Mamman Nasir Ali, the son of former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ahmadu Ali, and a Sierra Leonean, Christian Taylor, before the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, for their alleged involvement in a N2.2 billion oil subsidy fraud.
Ali and Taylor were re-arraigned before Justice Mojisola Dada alongside an oil firm, Nasaman Oil Services Limited, on an amended 57-count charge following new findings in the case.
The defendants were first arraigned before the court in 2012 on a 49-count charge of conspiracy to obtain money by false pretenses, obtaining money by false pretenses, forgery, and the use of false documents.
The anti-graft agency claimed that the offences violated the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act of 2006 and the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
Justice Dada had fixed Wednesday for the adoption of final written addresses, but when the case was called, EFCC prosecutor Seiduh Atteh informed the court about the amended charges and requested that the defendants enter a new plea.
The defence counsel, Obafemi Kolade (SAN), did not object to the request.
The defendants also pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The amended charges alleged that Ali, Taylor, Nasaman Oil Services Limited, Oluwaseun Ogunbambo (who remains at large), and Olabisi Abdul Afeez (also at large) fraudulently obtained funds from the Federal Government around September 9, 2011.
They were accused of forging a document titled “GASOLINE ANALYSIS,” allegedly issued by Saybolt Concremat aboard the vessel MT Overseas Limar on that date.
Following the re-arraignment, the defence lawyer urged the court to grant him additional time to amend his written address in response to the new charges.
Justice Dada has adjourned the matter to April 15 for the adoption of final written addresses.