Justice Akintayo Aluko of a Federal High Court, Lagos, has fixed November 17, 2026, for ruling on the bail application ls filed by a Chinese, Su Donghai and two Nigerians, Stanley Okechukwu Okafor and Ogunade Oluwaseun, who were charged before the court by the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation(AGF), on allegations of conspiracy, forgery and.
Just Aluko fixed the date, after taking arguments on their bail applications today.
At the hearing of the bail applications today, Mrs. Aderonke Imana from AGF’s office announced appearance for the prosecutor, Mr. O. B. Orugbemhe holding the brief of Chikaosolu OJUKWU (SAN) appeared for first and third defendants, while Adeboyejo Aromolaran, who hold the brief of Kayode Lawal appeared for the Chinese, and the duo of Joseph Okoh and Ireoluwa Oguntunase announced their appearance for the nominal complainant.
The three men alongside two firms, WNW Energy Technical Development Limited and Haoti International Limited were formerly charged before the court in an 11 count amended-charge marked FHC/L/695c/2024, by the operatives of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID) Annex Alagbon-Ikoyi Lagos.
While the charge was pending, the duo of Stanley and Ogunade have religiously attending the court, while the China citizen, whose legal representative had told the court was outside the country for medical reasons.
However, the trio were finally arraigned before the court on October 20, on the allegations, and their were taking on the charges, by the AGF’s office, which took over the case from the police.
After their arrraignment, the two Nigerians, Stanley and Ogunade were released to their lawyers pending ruling on the bail application, while the Chinese was remained at the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS).
In the charge, the defendants and others at large, conspired among themselves to commit the alleged acts between January, 2020 and April, 2024.
They were also alleged to have fraudulently obtained the sum of N1 billion belonging to Cnots Energy Services Limited, represented by Femi Folayan.
To commit the alleged fraud, all the defendants were alleged to have forged 89 invoices, with the intention to fraudulently defraud CNOTS Energy Services Energy Limited.
Specifically, the first defendant, Stanley Okafor, was accused of falsely depose to an affidavit on Oath on February 13, 2024, at the Lagos State High Court Registry, Lagos, wherein he attached 29 invoice receipts of WNW Energy Technical Development Company Limited.
He was also alleged to have on February 20, 2020 at Lagos, Nigeria, falsely present himself as the Managing Director of CNOTS Energy Technical Development.
The second defendant, Ogunade Oluwaseun, was alleged to have between year 2021 and 2023 at Lagos Nigeria, while acting as CNOTS Energy Services Nigeria Limited’s Chief Financial Officer, deliberately manipulate CNOTS accounting records and inserted fictitious figures in CNOTS accounting record without any corresponding piece of invoices to validate such entries.
The third defendant, Su Donghai, was also alleged to have between January, 2020 and April, 2024 transferred into a bank account number 2065454879 UBA Plc of one Alikali Vivian, and retained the sum of N1 billion, belonging to CNOTS Energy Services Limited.
The defendants’ alleged offences, according to the prosecution, contravened sections 8; 1(3) and 7(2)(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
The defendants’ acts also contrary to and punishable under sections 20(b) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 Act No. 14. And sections 1(1}(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, CAP. M17 LFN 2004.
The prosecution also stated that their actions contravened sections 390(9); 117 and 484 of the Criminal Code Act, LFN 2004.
The 11 counts amended charge against the defendants read: “That you Stanley Tochukwu Okafor ‘M’, Ogunade Oluwaseun ‘M’, SU Donghai ‘M’, WNW Energy Technical Devpt. Co. Limited, HAOTI International Ltd. and others now at large between January, 2020 and April, 2024 in Lagos, Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this court did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: fraud and money laundering and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.