An oil marketer, Mrs. Opeyemi Ajuah, who is standing trial for an alleged N1.1bn fuel subsidy scam, is dead.
File photo
While speaking to a Punch's correspondent on Wednesday, Olanrewaju Ajanaku, the lawyer to an oil marketer, Mrs. Opeyemi Ajuah, who is standing trial for an alleged N1.1 billion fuel subsidy scam, confirmed that his client is dead.
It was gathered that the shocking news of Ajuah’s death had been broken to Ajanaku on the telephone on Wednesday morning on the premises of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja, as he reportedly broke into tears.
The deceased, Ajuah was arraigned on May 22, 2015 alongside her company, Majope Investment, on amended eight counts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The other defendants in the trial are Abdullahi Alao, the son of the late Ibadan business mogul, Arisekola; his company, Axenergy; and one Olarenwaju Olalusi.
The charges border on conspiracy, forgery and obtaining money under false pretenses.
The EFCC alleged that the defendants fraudulently obtained the sum of N1,110,049,444.35 from the Federal Government under the guise that it was subsidy payments for 15,206,733 metric tons of Premium Motor Spirit, which they purportedly imported into the country.
Justice Lateefa Okunnu, before whom Ajuah was arraigned, has adjourned further proceedings in the case till March 1, 2017.