11th October, 2016
Ogah was however rearrested outside the court premises immediately by officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
after the charge was struck out by the court
Ogah, alongside his oil company, Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, a former staff of United Bank for Africa, Deji Somoye, and Mut-Hass Petroleum Limited, were first arraigned before the court by the SFU in June 2016, on alleged offences bordering on conspiracy and forgery.
Ogah and his company were alleged to have sometime in August, 2011, forged the signature of Mrs. Bridget Adeosun and a document known as MoU between Mut-Hass Petroleum Limited and Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, with intent that it may be in any way used or acted upon as genuine.
While the former UBA employee, Deji Somoye and others still at large, were alleged to have sometime in August 2011, at the bank’s regional office in Palmgrove, failed to use all reasonable means to prevent the commission or the completion of the crime by Ogah’s oil company.
At the resumed trial of the accused, the Prosecutor, Mr. Henri Obasi, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), told the court of Police intention to withdraw the charges against Ogah and others.
The prosecutor told the court that the withdrawal of the charges against all the defendants was based on the directive of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), and it was brought pursuant to section 73(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Laws of Lagos State, 2011.
Upon the submission of the prosecutor, the presiding Chief Magistate, Mrs. Kikelomo Ayeye, struck out all the charges, as well discharged all the defendants.
After the accused were discharged, security operatives, who claimed to be from the EFCC rearrested Ogah.
The intervention of Ogah’s lawyer, Mr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani, could not stop the security operatives and mobile policemen from taking the oil magnate to the anti-graft agency office.
No reason was given by the security operatives for Ogah’s arrest.
Parts of the charge preferred against the defendants before the magistrate court read: “That you, Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, Uche Ogah, and others at large sometime in March 2011 at Ikeja, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to wit: forgery.”
“That you, Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, Uche Ogah, and others at large, on the same date, time, place and in the aforementioned magisterial district, did forge the signature of one Mrs. Bridget Adeosun and a document known as MoU between Mut-Hass Petroleum Limited and Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, with an intent that it may be in any way used or acted upon as genuine.”
“That you, Deji Somoye, United Bank for Africa and others still at large, sometime in August 2011, at UBA regional office, Palmgrove, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did knowing that Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited design to commit an offence, failed to use all reasonable means to prevent the commission or the completion of the crime.”
Akin Kuponiyi