A businessman, Peter Otomewu, alongside his company, Pebeto Enerji Limited, has been docked before Justice Mojisola Dada, of the Special Offences Court, Ikeja on Monday for alleged stealing of $75,000.
The defendant was charged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on a-two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence.
EFCC vs. Peter Otomewua
Count one of the charge reads: Peter Otomewu and Pebeto Enerji Limited sometime in 2018 at Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with the intent to defraud obtained $75,000 (Seventy-five thousand United States of America dollars) from Virgin Forest Energy Limited under the representation that you have a vessel ‘MT AYSU‘ that can be used to transship petroleum products from a mother vessel and that the money was for your services, a representation you knew or ought to have known to be false.
Count two reads: Peter Otomewu and Pebeto Enerji Limited sometime in 2018 at Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court dishonestly converted to your own use the sum of $75,000 (Seventy-five thousand United States of American dollars) property of Virgin Forest Energy Limited.
The alleged offences violate Section 1(3) of the Advanced Fee Fraud And Other Related Offences Act, 2006 and 287(1) Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2015.
When the charge was read, the defendants denied the charges.
The EFCC Prosecution Counsel, M.S. Owede asked the court for a date for trial.
Thereafter, Counsel to the defendant, Peter Ajabor sought for bail on behalf of his client.
The prosecution counsel however did not oppose the bail application.
Subsequently, Justice Dada granted bail in the sum of N50million with two sureties in like sum.
The court ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed within the jurisdiction of the court.
The judge further directed that the defendants be remanded in the correctional facility pending the perfection of his bail.
Justice Dada however adjourned the matter until September 29, 2025 for the commencement of trial.
