EFCC operatives arrest Ogah in Lagos

EFCC operatives arrest Ogah in Lagos

Monday, October 10, 2016 7:57 pm


uche-ogah

 

Akin Kuponiyi

Special Fraud Unit, of the Nigerian Police Force on Monday withdrew the forgery charge leveled against the oil magnet, Mr. Uche Ogah and three others before a Lagos Chief Magistrate’s Court, sitting in Tinubu, Lagos.

Ogah was however rearrested outside the court premises and whisked away immediately after the charge was struck out at the court by security operatives, who claimed to be from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Ogah alongside his oil company, Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, a former staff of United Bank for Africa, Deji Somoye, and  Mut-Hass Petroleum Limited, were first arraigned before the court by the SFU in June, 2016, on alleged offences bordering on conspiracy,and forgery,

Ogah and his company were alleged to have something in August, 2011, forged the signature of one Mrs. Bridget Adeosun and an  MoU purportedly between Mut-Hass Petroleum Limited and Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, with an intent that it may be in any way used or acted upon as genuine.

While the former UBA employee, Deji Somoye and others still at large, were alleged to have sometime in August 2011, at the bank’s regional office, Palmgrove, failed to use all reasonable means to prevent the commission or the completion of the crime by the Ogah’s oil company.

At the resumed trial of the charges, the Prosecutor, Mr. Henri Obasi, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), told the court of Police intention to withdraw the charge against Ogah and others.

The prosecutor told the court that the withdrawal of the charge against all the defendants was at the directives of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), and it was brought pursuant to section 73(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

Upon the submission of the prosecutor, the presiding Chief Magistrate, Mrs.Kikelomo Ayeye, struck out all the charge, as well discharged all the defendants.

At the turn of events immediately after they were discharged of all the alleged forgery charge by the court,  the security operatives, who claimed to be from EFCC rearrested Ogah.

Through, Ogah and his wife had boarded his G-Wagon Mercedes Sport Utility Van to depart the court premises, the security operatives insisted that the car be driven to their office.

The intervention of Ogah’s lawyer, Mr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani, could not stop the security operatives and Mobile Policemen from taking the oil magnet to the anti-graft agency office.

No reasons was given by the security operatives for the Ogah’s rearrest.

Parts of the charge against the defendants before the Magistrate court reads: “That you, Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, Uche Ogah, and others at large sometime in March 2011 at Ikeja, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to wit: forgery.”

“That you, Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, Uche Ogah, and others at large, on the same date, time, place and in the aforementioned magisterial district, did forge the signature of one Mrs. Bridget Adeosun and a document known as MoU between Mut-Hass Petroleum Limited and Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, with an intent that it may be in any way used or acted upon as genuine.”

“That you, Deji Somoye, United Bank for Africa and others still at large, sometime in August 2011, at UBA regional office, Palmgrove, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did knowing that Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited design to commit an offence, failed to use all reasonable means to prevent the commission or the completion of the crime.”


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