Appeal Court discharges, acquits Ada Ugo-Ngali, M.D Ontario Oil

Appeal Court discharges, acquits Ada Ugo-Ngali, M.D Ontario
Oil

The Appeal Court sitting in Logos, yesterday, upturned a 10 year
jail term passed on the Managing Director of Ontario Oil and Gas,
Mrs. Ada Ugo-Ngali, by an Ikeja High Court of Lagos state.

Justice Lateefa Okunnu of the Lagos High Court, had on January
13, 2017, convicted and sentenced Ada Ugo-Ngali, to a jail term of
10 years for a fuel subsidy fraud of N754m, alongside the company
chairman, Walter Wagbatsoma, who is currently a jail term in United
Kingdom.

The judge had also ordered the refund of the N754m to the
Federal Government.

Both the company’s managing director and chairman were charged
and arraigned before Justice Okunnu on an eight count charge by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The EFCC had on August 1, 2013 arraigned the Ngo-Ngali,
Wagbatsoma and their company, accusing them of defrauding the
Federal Government of N1.9bn, which they fraudulently obtained as
subsidy sum for purportedly importing Premium Motor Spirit into the
country.

Also charged with the three convicts was an official of the
Petroleum Products Price and Regulatory Agency, Mr. Babafemi
Fakuade, who was, however, discharged and acquitted by the judge on
January 13.

Dissatisfied with the lower court, Ugo-Ngali through her lawyer,
Chief Uweche, SAN. approached the Appeal Court to upturn the
judgment, in appeal marked CA/L/348C/17, dated February 9,
2017.

The appellant had urged the upper court to discharge her of the
conviction on the ground that she cannot be sentence in the absence
of her co-accused.

Delivering lead judgment in the appeal, the presiding judge,
Justice M. L. Garba, held that: “upon reading the record of appeal
and respective briefs of argument filed on behalf of both
parties.

“It is ordered that for being a nullity the proceedings by High
court, in the Court of Appeal trial of the appellant and others
appellants in appeal CA/L/348c/17, and CA/L/389c/17, including the
judgment delivered on January 13, 2017, convicting them of the
offences they were tried for and the sentenced passed on them on
January 26, 2017, in the absence of appellant in CA/L/348c/17, are
hereby set aside.

“That in consequence, the conviction and sentenced of the
appellant in the said judgment are quashed and the appellant
discharged and acquitted accordingly”.

Other members of the panel, which include: Justice J. S. Ikjegh
and Justice Y. Nimper, agreed with the lead judgment.

Appeal Court discharges, acquits Ada Ugo-Ngali, M.D Ontario
Oil

The Appeal Court sitting in Logos, yesterday, upturned a 10 year
jail term passed on the Managing Director of Ontario Oil and Gas,
Mrs. Ada Ugo-Ngali, by an Ikeja High Court of Lagos state.

Justice Lateefa Okunnu of the Lagos High Court, had on January
13, 2017, convicted and sentenced Ada Ugo-Ngali, to a jail term of
10 years for a fuel subsidy fraud of N754m, alongside the company
chairman, Walter Wagbatsoma, who is currently a jail term in United
Kingdom.

The judge had also ordered the refund of the N754m to the
Federal Government.

Both the company’s managing director and chairman were charged
and arraigned before Justice Okunnu on an eight count charge by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The EFCC had on August 1, 2013 arraigned the Ngo-Ngali,
Wagbatsoma and their company, accusing them of defrauding the
Federal Government of N1.9bn, which they fraudulently obtained as
subsidy sum for purportedly importing Premium Motor Spirit into the
country.

Also charged with the three convicts was an official of the
Petroleum Products Price and Regulatory Agency, Mr. Babafemi
Fakuade, who was, however, discharged and acquitted by the judge on
January 13.

Dissatisfied with the lower court, Ugo-Ngali through her lawyer,
Chief Uweche, SAN. approached the Appeal Court to upturn the
judgment, in appeal marked CA/L/348C/17, dated February 9,
2017.

The appellant had urged the upper court to discharge her of the
conviction on the ground that she cannot be sentence in the absence
of her co-accused.

Delivering lead judgment in the appeal, the presiding judge,
Justice M. L. Garba, held that: “upon reading the record of appeal
and respective briefs of argument filed on behalf of both
parties.

“It is ordered that for being a nullity the proceedings by High
court, in the Court of Appeal trial of the appellant and others
appellants in appeal CA/L/348c/17, and CA/L/389c/17, including the
judgment delivered on January 13, 2017, convicting them of the
offences they were tried for and the sentenced passed on them on
January 26, 2017, in the absence of appellant in CA/L/348c/17, are
hereby set aside.

“That in consequence, the conviction and sentenced of the
appellant in the said judgment are quashed and the appellant
discharged and acquitted accordingly”.

Other members of the panel, which include: Justice J. S. Ikjegh
and Justice Y. Nimper, agreed with the lead judgment.