At the Ikeja Special Offences Court, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission operative Musbau Issa detailed how oil marketer Glory Benson allegedly defrauded customers of N100,865,000 on Thursday.
Benson, along with her two companies, Glonnek Energy Resources Limited and Petroyal Energy Limited, is charged with seven counts related to stealing and conversion, as brought forth by the EFCC.
The accused individuals were allegedly involved in the fraudulent conversion of petroleum products valued at N100,865,000 for personal gain.
During the court proceedings,Bilikisu Buhari, the prosecution counsel for the EFCC, declared her presence and informed the court that the issue was designated for trial. Following this, she proceeded to guide Issa through the examination in chief.
While testifying before Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe, Issa stated that Glory Benson, the first defendant, received multiple amounts from the nominal complainants. He informed the court that the commission, upon investigation, found that the first complainant, Glory Onyeocha, deposited N16 million into the defendant’s account on April 19, 2022. Immediately following this, the defendant transferred N300,000 to C.E.O Global Resources Empire.
The witness also mentioned that a total of N9,974,000 was transferred to Jusmac.
Issa further stated that on the same day, Chinyere Akpa, the second complainant, deposited N15,855,000. In response, the defendant promptly transferred N17,975,000 to the first complainant and documented the remaining balance for the PMS.
The witness also disclosed that on that particular day, Benson made payments of N15 to Ifeanyi, N7.2 million to Jubrin, and N50,000 to Abdulahi Musa.
“From the analysis, we understood that she was owing some customers and once she received from customer A, she would use it to pay customer B.
“The second complainant on April 22, 2022, via C.E.O. paid the sum of N9,060,000 to Benson and the defendant made a payment of N6,346,800, to Jusmac. She made another payment of N420,000 to an unknown account and the description on the account was me.
“The sum of N1,726,000 was transferred to one Benedicta and was described as balanced. Also, on April 25, 2022, the first complainant sent the sum of N13,950,000 to the defendant, and immediately after she received the money, she used it to offset CEO Empire.
“The second complainant Chinyere Akpa also paid her the sum of N15,500,000 and the defendant used it to pay global resources and she wrote repayment of PMS,” the witness said
However, Justice Abike-Fadipe postponed the case, scheduling its resumption for March 27, 2024.
During the defendant’s arraignment, prosecutor Bilikisu Buhari informed the court that Benson, along with her companies, committed the offenses between April 14 and 25, 2023. Buhari stated that on April 14, 2023, the defendant dishonestly converted PMS valued at N15,500,000 for her personal use, belonging to Akpa (CEO Empire Global Resources LTD).
The prosecutor further alleged that on April 19, 2023, the defendant converted N15,855,000; on April 22, 2023, N9,060,000; and on April 25, 2023, N15,500,000—all of which were the property of Akpa.
Buhari additionally informed the court that on the same April 19, 2023, the defendant converted the sums of N16 million, N15 million, and N13,950,000 for her use, all of which were the property of Onyeacha.
She emphasized that these offenses contravened Section 278, punishable under Section 285 (9) (b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
The defendant pleaded not guilty.
