For stealing and selling of aviation fuel belonging to British Airways, Idris Adeyemi Bakare, a contract staff of Total Plc has been sentenced to four years imprisonment on Thursday.
Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court, Ikeja handed down the sentence following the guilty plea of the defendant to a four counts charge.
The convict was charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
British Airways
EFCC had arraigned Bakare on a four-counts charge of offences bordering on stealing contrary and dishonestly converted to his use, the total sum of N35,672, 845.00.
EFCC stated that Bakare together with Dauda Adegboyega and a company, Zuraai Gold Ventures alleged of dishonestly converted to their use, N35,672, 845.00 belonging to British Airways between October 23 and December 31, 2019, in Lagos.
Their offences are contrary to the provision of Section 280(2) and punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
Convict admits stealing from British Airways
After Bakare pleaded guilty, the EFCC counsel, Ms. Zainab Atiku, called an EFCC investigative officer for a review of the facts.
The EFCC official, Mojibola Adekunbi, told the court that the commission received a petition from British Airways on October 4, 2022, against Total Nigeria Plc, and Asharam Energy.
The petition alleged that Total Plc, British Airways’ Engineers, and Sahara Energy conspired to invoice aircraft Jet A1 fuel above what has been uploaded on to the British Airways with the total sum of N363,780,248.53 which has been ongoing since 2018.
EFCC operative told court that the investigation revealed that the convict was a contract staff of Total Plc, who was a fueller that dispense Jet A1 fuel via bowser vehicle (fuel tanker) with hose to the aircraft.
British Airways’ fuel, other suspects ‘fingered
Atiku noted that the convict conspired with others by selling out some amount of Jet A1 fuel meant for British Airways to one Dauda Sulaiman which same was confirmed by the buyer through series of transactions of money to the convict account.
“That the convict received the total sum of N40,676,000.00 only from buyer, Dauda Sulaiman being the proceed of sales of the stolen Jet A1 fuel.”
She therefore tendered petition received from British Airways to EFCC, statements of defendant, statement of account of Zenith Bank of the defendant and N4million Access Bank Cheque draft to Commission during investigation as evidence.
Justice Abike-Fadipe admitted the documents as exhibits P1, P2, and P3 respectively and convicted him as charged.
The court however gave the convict the opportunity to address the court and he pleaded for mercy, promised never to engage in fraud again. He apologised to the British Airways, his employer Total Nigeria Plc.
The convict counsel, Olufemi Bisuga prayed the court to temper justice with mercy. He said he apologise to British Airways, his employer through the principal Total Plc. He also apologies to Nigeria and his family as he noted that he has learned his lesson.
But following his conviction EFCC counsel prayed the court to imposed the provision of Section 297 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State as regards restitution to victims of the crime.
The trial judge sentenced him to one year imprisonment on each of the four counts with an option of fine of N1 million on each count.
The court further ordered the convict to pay the balance of N36,676,000.00 over three years to commence from July 2024 and the sum of N4 million refunded to be given back to British Airways and terms to run concurrently.
