A Lagos special offences court in Ikeja has sentenced Mamman Ali, son of former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman Ahmadu Ali, to 14 years in prison for his role in a ₦2.2 billion oil subsidy fraud, according to reporting from BusinessDay.
Also convicted was Christian Taylor, an oil marketer who stood trial alongside Ali. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought a 57-count charge against both men, including conspiracy to obtain money by false pretences, forgery, and using false documents. The charges were filed under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
Fraudulent Oil Import Claims
Prosecution counsel Seiduh Atteh told the court that Ali and Taylor falsely obtained ₦1.48 billion from the federal government through the Petroleum Support Fund. They claimed the funds were payment for importing over 20 million litres of premium motor spirit (PMS) via Nasaman Oil Services Ltd — a claim the court confirmed to be fabricated.
The defendants were initially arraigned on 49 counts before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo. After his recusal, the case was reassigned to Justice Mojisola Dada. During the re-trial, the EFCC submitted documents and witness statements that were admitted into evidence.
Court’s Verdict
In a firm ruling delivered on Tuesday, Justice Dada found both men guilty on multiple counts and sentenced them accordingly. She described their actions as “a serious breach of public trust,” emphasizing the gravity of defrauding the nation through false subsidy claims.
“The prosecution has established its case beyond reasonable doubt,” said Justice Dada in her judgment.
Both defendants had pleaded not guilty at the start of the trial, but the court held that the evidence provided by the EFCC was overwhelming.
Article updated 3 weeks ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
