Court Issues Arrest Warrant On Two Oil Marketers

Justice Lateefat Okunnu of a Lagos High Court, Ikeja, on Tuesday issued a bench warrant for the arrest of two oil marketers for failing to appear in court to answer charges preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission.

The oil marketers are – Opeyemi Ajuyah and Olarenwaju Olalusi.

They had been arraigned alongside Abdullahi Alao, the son of a prominent businessman, Alhaji Abdullazeez Arisekola-Alao for an alleged N1.1 billion fuel subsidy fraud.

The three defendants were arraigned along with their companies – Majope Investment Limited and Axenergy Limited before Justice Okunnu.

At the resumed hearing of the matter on Tuesday, both Ajuyah and Olalusi were not physically present in court despite the judge’s directive.

Olalusi was represented by his lawyer, Mr. C.Z. Katung while Alao was physically present.

Mrs. Olubunmi Bosede, counsel to the EFCC, told the court that no formal notice was sent to the prosecution regarding the absence of the two defendants.

 She asked the court to issue a bench warrant on them.

 The trial judge granted her request and consequently issued the bench warrant on the marketers.

 The matter was adjourned till Wednesday for further hearing.