A female oil magnate, Mrs. Ada Ugo-Ndali, fainted in the dock today, Friday, shortly before she was convicted of a N1.7 billion subsidy fraud by a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja.
Justice Lateefat Okunnu found Ugo-Ndali, the Managing Director of Ontario Oil and Gas Limited, and the company Chairman, Mr. Walter Wagbatsoma, guilty of N1.7 billion fuel subsidy fraud. They were charged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Delivering judgment in the matter, the judge discharged and acquitted the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) representative, Fakuade Ebenezer, of forgery allegations.
After reading the judgment, Justice Okunnu stood the matter down for a 15 minutes break for allocutus plea by the convicted persons.
When the judge returned to hear the defendants’ plea for mercy, the second defendant, Ugo-Ndagi suddenly slumped and fainted in the dock.
When the woman was finally revived, she was breathing heavily just as counsels frantically called for medical assistance and ambulance. She was later assisted out of the court into a waiting black jeep by her lawyers.
The vehicle sped out of the court premises immediately Ugo-Ndagi was brought in.
The development forced Justice Okunnu to adjourn sentencing of the convicts to Monday.
Wagbatsoma, Ugo-Ndagi and the oil company were arraigned on July 7, 2010 for collecting N1.7 billion from the Federal Government as fuel subsidy payable to Ontario Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited.
They were arranged on an eight -count charge of obtaining money under false pretence from government, forgery and altering of documents. [myad]
