Wilson Opuwei
By Victory Oghene
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, arraigned a businessman, Wilson Opuwei, alongside his company, Dateline Energy Services Ltd., before Justicey Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, over an alleged $550,000 fraud.
Opuwei was docked on a four-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence and stealing.
Count One states that Opuwei and Dateline Energy Services Ltd., sometime in April 2011 in Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of $500,000 through one Chimaobi Anyaso from Prince Donatus Okonkwo, under the false pretence that the money represented payment for the allocation of 5,000 metric tonnes of Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) from the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC)—a representation the defendants allegedly knew to be false.
Count Two alleges that the defendants, under the same circumstances, obtained an additional $50,000 from Prince Okonkwo, also through Chimaobi Anyaso, as part payment for the purported kerosene allocation from PPMC, a claim they allegedly knew was untrue.
The defendant was previously arraigned on May 23, 2011, before Justice Habeeb Abiru of the Lagos State High Court. However, following several judicial transfers, the matter was reassigned to Justice Abike-Fadipe for trial to commence de novo.
According to the prosecution, led by Nwandu Ukoha, who held brief for Fadeke Giwa, Opuwei allegedly obtained the total sum of $550,000 from Prince Okonkwo under the false pretence that he would supply 5,000 metric tonnes of kerosene from PPMC—a representation he allegedly knew to be false.
Opuwei pleaded not guilty to all the charges when they were read to him.
The prosecution further informed the court that it had closed its case as far back as 2015, while the defence failed to open its case, resulting in the matter starting afresh. The case, according to the prosecution, suffered prolonged delays due to the elevation of successive judges and alleged deliberate delay tactics by the defence.
The matter was initially handled by Justice Abiru, who was elevated to the Court of Appeal in 2012, then reassigned to Justice Onigbagbo, followed by Justice Lawal Akapo, who was also elevated to the Court of Appeal, before finally being assigned to Justice Abike-Fadipe.
Counsel to the defence reminded the court that the defendant was granted bail on May 22, 2012, by Justice Abiru and urged the court to allow him to continue on the same bail conditions.
In her ruling, Justice Abike-Fadipe ordered that the defendant should continue on the earlier bail terms and adjourned the matter to March 19, 30, and 31, as well as April 1 and 2, 2026, for trial.
