A special offences court in Ikeja has convicted Fatuyi Phillips, a former chairman of the Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA), over N43.5 million fraud.
Mojisola Dada, the presiding judge, sentenced Phillips to 21 years in jail.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on April 5, 2022, arraigned Philips alongside his firm, Oceanview Oil and Gas Limited.
The NOGASA chairman had pleaded not guilty to a two-count charge, bordering on obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N43,502,000.
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The EFCC called five witnesses and tendered several documentary evidence, while the defendants called three witnesses.
According to a statement by the EFCC, Dada, while delivering the judgment, held that the prosecution proved its case against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt.
The judge sentenced Phillips to 14 years imprisonment on count one and seven years on count two, without an option of a fine.
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The sentences are to be served concurrently.
Also, the judge ordered the second defendant, Oceanview Oil and Gas Limited, to pay a fine of N500,000 in respect of count one and another N250,000 in respect of count two within 30 days or be wound up.
“The court further ordered the convicts to make restitution in the sum of $90,202 or the prevailing naira equivalent to the nominal complainants,” the statement reads.
“Phillips’ journey to the correctional centre began when he collected the sum of N43, 502,000.00 from Elochukwu Okoye and Elebana Unique Ventures Nigeria Limited on behalf of WAPCIL Nigeria Limited with a false promise of selling its dollar equivalent ($98,870.00) to them.
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“He neither returned the naira nor dollar equivalent to the petitioners.”
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