The Managing Director of Techno Oil, Anthony Onyeama, on Friday appeared before the Lagos State Judicial Panel on restitution for victims of SARS and other related offences, in deference to a summon issued on him and two other management staff of the company. At the last sitting of the panel on the petition filed by Prince Sunday Adebayo, the Chairman of the panel, Justice Doris Okuwobi, had granted the request of the petitioner to summon three management staff members of Techno Oil.
Those summoned were the Group Managing Director, Mrs Nkechi Obi, the MD, and Mr Godfrey Okigbo. The petitioner, a stock investor, had told the panel that he was unlawfully arrested and detained by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) from July 17 to August 10, 2015, without bail with respect to a trumped-up allegation of using a fraudulent cheque to lift four tankers of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) from the Kirikiri Depot of Techno Oil.
He said the allegations were made by the three management staff members of the oil company to the police. The petitioner asked the panel to summon all three to testify so that he can clear his name and seek compensation from the police for his alleged unlawful arrest and detention. Led in evidence by the petitioner’s counsel, Adeyinka Omowa, Onyeama said he has worked with the company for 25 years but cannot recall having any business dealings with the petitioner.
“Techno Oil has a standard of about 12 major customers. Most times, some other companies could also pay through the major customers. The customer paid some money and claimed that he was paying through Zedimano,” he said.
