A Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Abuja has discharged and acquitted Origin Oil & Gas Limited and its Directors: Abiodun Ponnle and Adetoye Adegbite, of the allegations bordering on fuel subsidy scam preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes.
Justice S. C. Oriji made the order discharging the accused and the EFCC to refund N124 million to the firm on Thursday.
He held that the EFCC failed to establish the allegation that the defendants discharged 6,784.921 metric tons of Premium Motor Spirit as opposed to the 14,208.908 metric tons, over which subsidy was paid.
Justice Oriji held further that rather, evidence abound before the court establishing that the volume of PMS discharged by Ponnle and Adegbite, through their company, Origin Oil & Gas Limited, at the Lister Jetty Terminal was 14,208.908 metric tons.
The anti-corruption agency had moved against some oil marketers, including the defendants, for allegedly claiming and processing excess subsidy payment far more than what they were legitimately due for.
The EFCC, in its pursuit to recover the excess payment of subsidy allegedly claimed by the oil marketers, filed a criminal charge against the defendants sometimes in 2016.
It was in a suit marked: CR/50/2016, filed by the Federal Republic of Nigeria as complainant, Adegbite Adetoye, Ponnle Abiodun and Origin Oil & Gas Limited are 1st to 3rd defendants respectively.
The EFCC on March 24, 2017 amended the charge and the defendants were arraigned…
