PDP ex-chairman’s son, partner bag 14yrs imprisonment over N2.2bn subsidy fraud

The son of former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman Ahmadu Ali, Mamman Ali and his partner Christian Taylor have received a 14-year prison sentence from a Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos State due to their involvement in a ₦2.2 billion fuel subsidy fraud.

 Justice Mojisola Dada issued the sentences after they failed to prove their innocence in a case brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The pair, along with their company Nasaman Oil Services Limited, were convicted on Tuesday through an amended 57-count charge as new evidence surfaced during the trial.

Initially, they faced 49 counts of conspiracy, forgery, and the use of fraudulent documents, to which all three defendants pleaded not guilty. One charge detailed how, on November 9, 2011, Mamman and two accomplices who are now fugitives allegedly conspired to fraudulently obtain ₦749,991,273.36 by falsely claiming subsidies related to the importation of over 10 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

Another accusation involved defrauding the government of ₦1,480,074,125.61 on April 11, 2011, by falsely claiming subsidy on more than 20 million litres of PMS supposedly imported via shell companies based in the British Virgin Islands. Following Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo’s recusal from the case, it was reassigned to Justice Dada.

 Throughout the trial, Prosecutor Seiduh Atteh presented numerous witnesses and documentary evidence demonstrating that subsidies were claimed without the corresponding imports taking place. In her ruling, Justice Dada characterized the defendants' actions as a significant breach of trust and an attack on Nigeria's oil subsidy program's integrity. She cited the prosecution's strong evidence and convicted both Ali and Taylor on all charges.

Alongside their prison sentences, Justice Dada ordered the forfeiture of assets and bank accounts tied to the fraudulent activities and issued arrest warrants for two additional suspects, Oluwaseun Ogunbambo and Olabisi Abdul-Afeez, who are currently at large.