Justice O. M. Anyachebelu of the Anambra State High Court sitting in Awka has convicted and sentenced Engineer Nnaemeka Nwawka, Managing Director of Orient Petroleum Resources Plc, and the Sage Nebefeife Foundation to 14 years imprisonment each for offences bordering on stealing, fraudulent conversion and gratification involving billions of naira.
The conviction followed a decade-long trial instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), during which the defendants faced a 10-count charge.
The prosecution alleged that Nwawka, alongside Jude Anniekwe Cyril and the registered trustees of the Foundation, fraudulently converted millions of naira transferred from Vhelbherg International Limited’s account domiciled in Standard Chartered Bank into the Foundation’s account with First Bank between April 2012 and May 2013.
In one of the counts, the court heard that N82.8 million was allegedly diverted, while another count involved N29.6 million said to have been fraudulently converted.
The defendants pleaded not guilty, prompting full trial proceedings.
During the trial, which spanned 10 years, the EFCC called four witnesses and tendered documentary evidence admitted as exhibits.
The counsel for the prosecution, Victor Ukagwu, told the court that Nwawka used his position at Orient Petroleum to award contracts to companies linked to associates.
Funds paid to those companies were allegedly funnelled back to him through the Foundation and subsequently withdrawn for personal use.
But the counsel for the defence, U.N. Udechukwu (SAN), representing the first and third defendants, and E.S.C. Obiora (SAN), who appeared for the second defendant, argued that the contracts were lawfully awarded and executed.
However, in her judgment, Justice Anyachebelu held that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted Nwawka and the Foundation accordingly.
The court sentenced both convicts to 14 years' imprisonment and ordered them to jointly refund N140.9 million to Orient Petroleum Resources Plc.
The case originated from a petition by Chief Cletus Ibeto, an investor in the company, who alleged that he invested N25 billion in Orient Petroleum but that substantial sums were siphoned through inflated and suspicious contracts awarded to companies linked to the managing director.
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