A special offences court in Ikeja has convicted Fatuyi Phillips, a former chairman of the Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA), over N43.5 million fraud.

Mojisola Dada, the presiding judge, sentenced Phillips to 21 years in jail.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on April 5, 2022, arraigned Philips alongside his firm, Oceanview Oil and Gas Limited.

The NOGASA chairman had pleaded not guilty to a two-count charge, bordering on obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N43,502,000.

The EFCC called five witnesses and tendered several documentary evidence, while the defendants called three witnesses.

According to a statement by the EFCC, Dada, while delivering the judgment, held that the prosecution proved its case against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt.

The judge sentenced Phillips to 14 years imprisonment on count one and seven years on count two, without an option of a fine.

The sentences are to be served concurrently.

Also, the judge ordered the second defendant, Oceanview Oil and Gas Limited, to pay a fine of N500,000 in respect of count one and another N250,000 in respect of count two within 30 days or be wound up.

“The court further ordered the convicts to make restitution in the sum of $90,202 or the prevailing naira equivalent to the nominal complainants,” the statement reads.

“Phillips’ journey to the correctional centre began when he collected the sum of N43, 502,000.00 from Elochukwu Okoye and Elebana Unique Ventures Nigeria Limited on behalf of WAPCIL Nigeria Limited with a false promise of selling its dollar equivalent ($98,870.00) to them.

“He neither returned the naira nor dollar equivalent to the petitioners.”

The Lagos police command says its operatives have arrested three suspects for allegedly stealing phones from accident victims in Ikeja.

In a post on its X page on Thursday, the command said the suspects were arrested on Wednesday, a few meters away from the accident scene while trying to escape with the phones.

The command said men of the rapid response squad (RRS) assisted the accident victims to the hospital.

“The agency arrested these suspects—Isaiah Adegbenro, 38; Edet Johnson, 30; and Efe Sowemimo, 28—on Wednesday,” the post reads.

“The suspects were apprehended a few metres away from the accident point while trying to escape with the phones.

“The accident victims were heading towards Ikeja in a red Toyota Camry 2010 when the driver lost control of the vehicle and rammed into a road divider in front of Adeyemi Bero end of Governor Road, Alausa, Ikeja.

“The suspects, who were close to the scene when the accident happened, rather than assist the driver and the occupants out of the badly damaged vehicle, were ransacking the victims’ pockets and vehicle.

“Stolen from the accident’s victims were an iPhone 15, valued at N1,300,00.00, and an iPhone 12 worth N620,000.00.

The police added that the suspects made significant confessions and will face court charges as directed by Shola Jejeloye, the RRS commander.

The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) has arrested 94 suspected criminals during a midnight operation in the Agege area of Lagos state.

In a post on X on Wednesday, Tokunbo Wahab, commissioner for environment and water resources, said LASEPA conducted the raid along the rail-track from Pen-Cinema under bridge to Fagba Junction.

“The area was raided in response to complaints from residents, commuters and concerned citizens, on the nefarious activities of illegal squatters, miscreants and suspected criminal elements along rail-track corridors,” he stated.

He noted that the operation began at about 2:30 am and spanned more than five kilometres, with shanties and illegal structures dismantled.

“94 suspects were apprehended during the midnight operation and locally fabricated short gun, several wraps of illicit substance suspected to be cannabis sativa, charm as well as a jack knife were recovered,” he added.

Wahab said the suspects would be charged to court accordingly.