A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, on Thursday, February 21, 2013, admitted eight-page enquiries the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, made against Nasaman Oil Services Limited; Mamman Nasir Ali, Christian Taylor and Oluwaseun Ogunbambo through the Inspectorate Marine Service as exhibit against them.

The exhibit, which Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo admitted against the alleged fuel subsidy fraudsters are enquiries which the EFCC made from the Inspectorate Marine Service seeking to ascertain the quality and quantity of fuel supplied by the defendants.

Mr Chidi Onyedekwe, branch manager, Inspectorate Marine Service and overseer of Marine Operational Service in Lagos who is also a principal prosecution witness, confirmed to the court that his Inspectorate wrote to the EFCC, in a response to its enquiries, that it had no record of Nasaman Oil Services Limited in its operating systems. Counsels to the first and second defendants, Kolade Obafemi prayed the court to discountenance the EFCC's enquiries saying that letters written to the Inspectorate Marine Service were not replied on time. However, Justice Onigbanjo admitted the enquiries as exhibit, saying that they were sent out during the period of investigations and could be relied upon.

Mamman Nasir Ali, Christian Taylor and Oluwaseun Ogunbambo together with Nasaman Oil Services Limited are facing trial for allegedly defrauding the Federal Government to the tune of N 4.5billion (Four Billion, five Hundred Thousand Naira Only) in the Petroleum Support Fund. They were arraigned on a thirteen count charge bordering on conspiracy to obtain money by false pretences and forgery contrary to Section 468 of the Criminal Code Cap 17 of Lagos State of Nigeria. They were originally arraigned on Monday 26 November, 2012.

The EFCC's witness explained to the court that his Inspectorate usually issue documents to fuel servicing companies to assure the quality of their products after thorough inspection. He said that he had previously worked with the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA; AITEO Energy, Sahara Energy Resources Ltd., Oando plc among others. Onyedekwe denied ever worked with Nasaman Oil Services Limited and had never met any of the defendants before. More documents were shown the witness to identify the signatures appended on them but he said he cannot recognize the signatures as they did not belong to anyone from his Inspectorate.

Justice Onigbanjo, after listening to all the submissions, adjourned the matter to March 20, 2013 for continuation of cross examination.