The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has closed its investigation into an alleged $2.6 billion fraud charge brought against a Nigerian oil firm, Petro Union Oil and Gas Limited, a consultant to the company and three of its Directors on alleged investment on the construction of three refineries in Nigeria.
The defendant is Abayomi Kukoyi (Trading under the name and style of Gladstone Kukoyi & Associates). The Directors on trial are Prince Kingsley Okpala, Prince Chidi Okpalaeze and Prince Emmanuel Okpalaeze.
On Friday, the anti-graft agency closed its case before Justice Mohammed Liman of the Federal High Court in Lagos. The final witness called by EFCC was Nathaniel John Webb, a senior investigative officer at the National Crime Agency (NCA) in UK.
In court, Detective Sergeant Webb told Justice Liman that the NCA was assigned to investigate Gazeaft Ltd and Goldmatic Ltd—the firms allegedly used by the defendants to perpetrate their alleged crime.
The witness testified that he had made inquiries at Barclays Bank in London, and found out that the two companies—both of which were now defunct had been closed since 1987.
He went on to say that when the £2.6 billion cheque was presented by Gazeaft Limited for clearing in 1994, it was not cleared because Union Bank and Barclays Bank did not recognize the company or account at that time. He also told the court that there was no evidence of the lodgment of the £2.6 billion cheque at Barclays Bank at any time during the existence of Gazeaft Limited and while the account was in existence.
