Your Benin Zonal Office refusing to prosecute Principal Officers of Cardinal Drilling Services, who diverted my N21m withholding tax – Lelekumo tells EFCC Chairman

A former Rig Manager of Cardinal Drilling Services Nigeria Limited, Mr. Hillary O. Lekekumo, has begged the Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, to direct the Head of the Benin Zonal Office of the Commission, to prosecute the Principal Officers of his former employers, Cardinal Drilling Services Nigeria Limited.

Mr. Lelekumo, who made the plea in an exclusive chat with Fresh Angle International at our Warri Office this morning, Monday December 11, alleged that some Officers of the Benin Zonal Office of the EFCC, have consistently refused to prosecute Cardinal Drilling Services Nigeria Limited and its Principal Officers, despite petitions written to the Commission’s Zonal Office by its Solicitors, Prime Chambers.

According to him, the said N21,000,000.00 (Twenty One Million Naira) were purportedly deducted from his salary as Withholding Tax to be remitted to the State (Delta State) coffers, but was allegedly diverted and embezzled.

A copy of one of the petitions addressed to the Zonal Head of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Benin Zonal Office, Benin City, Edo State by Prime Chambers, claimed that Mr. Hillary O. Lekekumo, got wind of the alleged diversion of the N21million, “when he applied for Tax Clearance Certificate and was told same was not remitted to the Delta State Governmeent Tax Board throughout the period of his employment with the company.”

The petition dated April 11, 2023, stated inter-alia: “On 4 February, 2019, our client wrote a petition to your good office through the office of P. O. Awana & Associates and forwarded facts detailing how the Principal Officers of Cardinal Drilling Services Nig. Ltd. with RC No. 920558, to wit: MR. UCHE DIMIRI 08026366771 (Managing Director), AUSTIN AVURU (08035775223), MR. KALU NWOSU (Managing Director), MR. AJAERO ADEJOKE, MR. OKI AMATARE, MR. HOCHARD MICHEL, MR. PERRET MICHEL MR. OKOLO STEVE ANAGO, UCHEGBU COMFORT, MR. OMENE GODWIN, MR. ERO GREGORY OMOSIGHO, NWUCHE CHRISTINE and MR. NWANNEKA NWANGWU, diverted 5% of his monthly salaries meant for withholding tax at Cardinal Drilling Nig, Ltd, where he worked as a Rig Manager from September, 2011 till April, 2017 pursuant to the Judgment of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria delivered on the 4th of April, 2022.

“As at today, after obtaining statements from some of the suspects and releasing them on bail pending when they are to be charged to Court, nothing has been done about our client's complaint. The file has been assigned from one IPO to another without a definite action thereat. At some point, it was first assigned to Ms Oby, then to Oliver, and now being handled by Mrs. Nkiru.

“Sir, there have been several false promises that the file will be moved to the Legal Department so that the matter can be charged to Court, but this is not the case right now. Our client observes with great displeasure that there is a deliberate attempt by some officers under your command to sweep this crime under the carpet so as to give the Company and its Principal Officers safe landing against the backdrop of Solicitor Reminder Letters written in this regard.

“We implore you to use your good office to right this wrong, as we count on your immediate action.”

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