LAGOS—Justice Lateefa Okunnu of an Ikeja
High Court, yesterday, dismissed the
application filed by Abdullahi Alao, son of an
Ibadan-based businessman, Alhaji Abdullazeez
Arisekola-Alao, seeking to quash the alleged
N1.1 billion fuel subsidy fraud charge levelled
against him by the Economic & Financial
Crimes, EFCC.
The trial judge dismissed the application over
lack of merit.
Abdullahi Alao, is standing trial, alongside two
other oil marketers, Opeyemi Ajuyah and
Olarenwaju Olalusi, and their companies –
Majope Investment Ltd. and Axenergy Ltd.
The oil marketers and their companies are
facing an eight-count charge bordering on
conspiracy, obtaining money by false
pretences, forgery, uttering and use of false
documents.
Alao and his company, Axenergy Limited had in
a motion dated July 23, 2013 filed through their
counsel, O Awonuga to urge the court to
dismiss the eight-count charge preferred
against him for lack of jurisdiction.
In her ruling, Justice Okunnu, held that the
EFCC acting in pursuant to its enabling laws
can prosecute a criminal case in any court.
Okunnu said the EFCC is authorised by the
Constitution to prosecute criminal cases in any
part of the country.
The judge further said that contrary to the
submission of the defendant’s counsel, it is the
motion papers that shows the case and not the
submissions of the counsel.
She held that the EFCC is a common agency for
both the states and federal and can prosecute
criminal cases in any part of the country.
She therefore dismissed the application for lack
of merit and adjourned further trial till October 30, 2013.
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