A Chief Magistrate Court in Ilorin has remanded two, Esther Shehu and David Kpanaki for criminal conspiracy, cheating, screening an offender, and obstruction.
Chief Magistrate, Ibrahim Muhammed remanded the defendant to enable the Nigeria Police Force to carry out their investigation to get the necessary information on the case.
Muhammed however said that he does not have full jurisdiction over some of the allegations leveled against the defendants.
However, records revealed that the CEO of PAZ Oil, Ibrahim Shehu, is a suspected serial fraudster who had been evading a series of arrests and prosecution by law enforcement agencies after inflicting an economic loss on unsuspecting members of the public until the final apprehension of his accomplices.
The Prosecutor, Asp. Yusuf Nasir had earlier told the court that on July 18, a petition was received by Tofa Ahmed on behalf of Alhaji Kamoru Yusuf, Kam Steel, Ajase-Ipo Highway, Ilorin.
Nasir said that sometime in July 2021, one Ibrahim Shehu and Jemima Shehu both now at large, and David Kpanaki illegally used one fictitious company, Paz Oil, to sell a vessel to the petitioner.
He said that the defendants fraudulently presented and offered for sale, a vessel known as MT ORYX TRADER as MT REMOS to the petitioner.
The Prosecutor said that they dishonestly presented the vessel free and not subject to any administrative detention, but knowing fully well that the product was a subject of the court order.
Nasir said that the first defendant used his daughter, Jemima Monosoko, 16, as Executive Director and David Kpanaki, his in-law, as another Director and fraudulently sold the vessel to the petitioner.
“On account of fraudulent presentation, the defendants made the petitioner spend $400,000, in addition to the purchase price of the vessel, and absconded.
“The defendants were later tracked by the team of Operatives and traveled to Gwarimpa, in Abuja, for possible arrest.
“In the cause of arresting Shehu Ibrahim, one Esther Shehu of 7th Avenue, Gwarimpa, Abuja obstructed the officers not to make any arrest.
“She dishonestly called her accomplice, who claimed to be the DPO of the jurisdiction and deceitfully spoke to the Operatives to leave the suspect premises, that the suspect would meet them at the Police Station by 12 p.m
“Immediately the Police left, Esther Shehu and David Kpanaki carried the suspect, Shehu Ibrahim out quietly in a tinted Toyota Corolla to an unknown destination,” he said.
The Prosecutor said that an investigation conducted at Police Headquarters, Ilorin revealed that Esther Shehu and David Kpanaki confessed to the allegation.
He thereby filled an application for the two defendants, Esther Shehu and David Kpanaki to be remanded, in order to enable the Police to conduct their investigations properly.
Chief Ibrahim Muhammed thereby adjourned the case to August 31, for further mention.
