Police arraigns oil firm president in court for financial irregularity

ayodele johnson

June 18, 2016 1:04 AM

Till the court resumes on the matter, the suspects have been granted bail in the sum of N200,000, with one surety each in like sum.

The president of the oil firm and the banker were arraigned on charges of fraud, forgery and conspiracy.

Uche Ogah, the president of an oil firm, Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, and Deji Somoye, a former worker at the United Bank for Africa (UBA), have been arraigned at a Magistrate’s Court in Lagos for financial mismanagement.

The pair, who had their court meeting on Thursday, June 16, 2016, were accused of fraud, forgery and conspiracy.

The police alleged that Ogah forged a Memorandum of Understanding between Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited and Mut-Hass Petroleum Limited around March 2011.

The bank worker was also complicit in helping Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited to open an account in a bid to engage in fraud.

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ASP Henry Obiazi, who is the prosecuting officer, said the offenders acted in disagreement with sections 363 (3)(u), 408 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Obiazi read the charges as follows, “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.”

A bail of N200,000 was however granted to the offenders, with one surety each in like sum. The case has been adjourned till August 4, 2016.

ayodele johnson