In a recent development at the Ikeja Special Offences Court, Musbau Issa, an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), provided testimony on Thursday regarding the case involving oil marketer Glory Benson.
Benson, alongside her companies Glonnek Energy Resources Limited and Petroyal Energy Limited, faces accusations of defrauding customers to the tune of N100,865,000.
The charges brought against Benson and her companies consist of seven counts related to stealing and conversion, as outlined by the EFCC.
During the court session, EFCC’s prosecution counsel, Bilikisu Buhari, asserted the intent for trial proceedings. Issa, taking the stand, detailed how Benson allegedly received funds from various complainants and diverted them for personal use.
Issa testified that investigations revealed Glory Onyeocha, one of the complainants, deposited N16 million into Benson’s account on April 19, 2022. Almost immediately, Benson transferred N300,000 to C.E.O. Global Resources Empire. Similarly, another complainant, Chinyere Akpa, deposited N15,855,000 on the same day, leading to further transfers and payments by Benson to various entities and individuals.
The pattern observed by the EFCC suggested that Benson used funds from one customer to settle debts with another, creating a cycle of alleged fraudulent transactions.
The court proceedings also detailed additional instances where Benson allegedly converted funds from complainants for personal use on different dates in April 2023.
Following the arraignment, wherein Benson pleaded not guilty to the charges, Prosecutor Buhari highlighted the legal violations committed, citing applicable sections of the criminal law of Lagos State.
The case has been adjourned until March 27, 2024, for further trial proceedings.
The accusations against Glory Benson and her companies underscore the ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to combat financial crimes within the oil industry.
