The Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, on Monday dismissed an appeal filed by Rowaye Jubril, Managing Director, Brilla Energy Limited.

The appellant alongside his company, Brilla Energy, were arraigned before Justice Lateedah Okunnu of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos on a 13-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, forgery and uttering to the tune of N963,796,199.85k .

Both the appellant and the second defendant had pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.

In the course of the trial, the respondent, through its counsel, S.K. Atteh, had called 20 witnesses and tendered 43 exhibits, which were admitted in evidence by the court.

Both the appellant and the second defendant had subsequently entered a no-case submission, which was overruled by the court.

When the court ordered the appellant and the second defendant to open their defence, they opted to rest their cases on that of the respondent.

Delivering her judgment on March 16, 2017, Justice Okunnu found the appellant and the second defendant guilty on all counts.

The trial judge sentenced the appellant to 10 years imprisonment on count one and eight years on counts two to 13.

The sentences are to run concurrently.

The judge also ordered the second defendant, Brilla Energy, to refund the sum of N963, 796,199.85k to the Federal Government.

Dissatisfied with the judgement of the trial court, the appellant first filed a Notice of Appeal on March 24, 2017.

The appellant, with the leave of the appellate court, later filed an amended notice of appeal dated July 4, 2017, which was deemed to have been properly filed on October 5, 2017.

Both parties adopted their briefs of arguments on January 8, 2018.

However, in the judgment delivered yesterday, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal and affirmed the judgment of the trial court.

Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal, yesterday, also dismissed an appeal filed by the second defendant, Brilla Energy.

Update news