The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday told an Ikeja High Court that it had two more witnesses to call in the trial of the three oil marketers over alleged subsidy scam.
The EFCC announced this through its counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), at the resumed trial of the case before Justice Lateefat Okunnu.
efThe News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the marketers — Adamu Maula, George Ogbonna and Emmanuel Morah — are being tried for alleged N789.6 million fuel subsidy fraud.
They are standing trial alongside their companies — Downstream Energy Sources Ltd and Rocky Energy Ltd.
The defendants are facing a 26-count amended charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining under false pretences and forgery.
The EFCC alleged that the marketers did not import the 10,862 metric tonnes of petrol (Premium Motor Spirit) for which they received subsidy payment from the Federal Government.
At the proceedings, Jacobs told the court that he would bring an application requesting the court to issue summonses on the two witnesses.
He noted that the prosecution would close its case against the defendants after the testimonies of the witnesses.
Earlier, another prosecution witness, Mr Umar Aliyu, told the court that the vessel used for the transaction, MT D Roseline, was owned by his employers, Azimudh Shipping Lines Ltd.
Aliyu said he joined the company in November 2013 as the General Manager, after the transactions which took place in the first quarter of January 2011.
According to him, the vessel was leased to another company –Transcon Transport Ltd — which eventually leased it to the marketers for the importation of the product.
The witness said from the documents provided his company by Transcon, the ship- to-ship transfer of the product took place at offshore Cotonou on Jan. 12, 2013.
However, under cross-examination by the defence lawyers — Prof. Alfred Kasumu (SAN), Mr Abubakar Shamsudeen and Mr Eubena Ahmedu — said that his company played no part in the transaction.
Aliyu also admitted that First Bank was the consignee in the transaction and not Downstream Energy Sources Ltd which he earlier told the court.
He said: “I did not witness the transaction and my company was not engaged by Downstream to import the product.
“It was Transcon which had a leasing agreement with us for the vessel that participated in the transaction and the vessel has since been sold.’’
The case was adjourned till Nov. 20 for continuation of trial. NAN
 on Wednesday told an Ikeja High Court that it had two more witnesses to call in the trial of the three oil marketers over alleged subsidy scam.){kind=link}