Orient Petroleum MD Sentenced to 14 Years for Fraud

Nnaemeka Nwawka, the Managing Director of Orient Petroleum Resources PLC, along with Jude Anniekwu and Cyril Sage Nebefeif, was convicted by Justice O.M. Anyachebelu of the Anambra State High Court in Awka for their involvement in a N25 billion fraud.

The court found them guilty on ten counts of fraudulent conversion of funds, including amounts of N82,856,934 and N29,620,733 transferred from accounts associated with the Sage Nebeif Foundation to a company account. The fraudulent activities occurred between April 23, 2012, and May 24, 2013.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecuted the case, which lasted ten years, presenting four witnesses and numerous documentary evidence. The court ordered the convicts to refund N140,900,000 to Orient Petroleum Resources PLC and sentenced them to 14 years in prison.

The case highlighted the misuse of contracts awarded to friends' companies and the misappropriation of funds.