8th March, 2012
Two officials of Top Brass Aviation Company, Roland Iyoyi and Benedict Adeyileka, may soon be arraigned before a Federal High Court in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has filed a 13-count criminal charge of conspiracy and tax fraud against them and their company.
In the said criminal charge number FHC/L/341C/11 filed before the court by the EFCC head of Legal and Prosecution Unit, Chile Okoroma, it was alleged that Top Brass Aviation Limited, a company registered in Nigeria, being managed by Roland Iyayi and Benedict Adeyileka a Director on or about 16 December, 2009 conspired to commit felony to wit, stealing monies received by them as taxes from the Akwa Ibom state government on behalf of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the Federal Inland Revenue Service and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act Cap 38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The anti-graft agency alleged further that Top Brass Aviation Company and its two accused officers between 16 December 2009 and October 2010 fraudulently converted to their own use the sum of N35,855,241.54 being Value Added Taxes received from the following companies, Julius Berger, ECECC and Total E and P Nigeria Limited on behalf of Federal Inland Revenue Services and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 390 (8) of the Criminal Code.
The company and its two accused officers were also alleged to have fraudulently converted to their own use, the sum of N70,986,282.33 being Charter Service charge received by them from Energy Resources Management Limited on behalf of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 390 (8) of the Criminal Code.
The presiding judge, Justice John Isoho, has adjourned till 26 March, 2012, when the two accused persons and their company would be arraigned in court.