A Chief Magistrate Court in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, Ibrahim Muhammed has remanded two persons, Esther Shehu and David Kpanaki in the Correctional Service.

They were charged with criminal conspiracy, cheating and obstruction.

Ibrahim remanded the defendants to enable the Nigeria Police Force carry out investigation towards getting necessary information on the case.

The trial Magistrate ruled that he does not have full jurisdiction over some of the allegations levelled against the defendants.

Available police records alleged that the Chief Executive Officer, CEO of PAZ Oil, Ibrahim Shehu has been evading arrest and prosecution by law enforcement agencies after inflicting economic loss on unsuspecting members of the public.

The Prosecutor, ASP Yusuf Nasir had earlier told the court that on July 18, a petition was received by Tofa Ahmed on behalf of Alhaji Kamoru Yusuf, Kam Steel, Ajase-Ipo Highway, Ilorin.

Nasir said that sometime in July, 2021, one Ibrahim Shehu and Jemima Shehu both now at large and David Kpanaki illegally used one fictitious company, PAZ Oil, to sell a vessel to the petitioner.

He said that the defendants fraudulently presented and offered for sale, a vessel known as MT ORYX TRADER as MT REMOS to the petitioner.

The prosecutor said that they dishonestly presented the vessel as free and not subject to any administrative detention, but knowing fully well that the product was a subject of court order.

Nasir said that the first defendant used his daughter, 16, as Executive Director and David Kpanaki, his in-law, as another Director and fraudulently sold the vessel to the petitioner.

“On account of fraudulent presentation, the defendants made the petitioner spend $400,000, in addition to the purchase price of the vessel and absconded.

“The defendants were later tracked by the team of police operatives and travelled to Gwarimpa, in Abuja, for possible arrest.

“In the cause of arresting Shehu Ibrahim, one Esther Shehu of 7th Avenue, Gwarimpa, Abuja obstructed the officers not to make any arrest.

“She dishonestly called her accomplice, who claimed to be the DPO of the jurisdiction and deceitfully spoke to the operatives to leave the suspect’s premises, that the suspect will meet them at the Police Station by 12 pm.

“Immediately the police left, Esther Shehu and David Kpanaki carried the suspect, Shehu Ibrahim out quietly in a tinted Toyota Corolla car to an unknown destination,” he added.

The police prosecutor disclosed that investigation conducted at police Command Headquarters in Ilorin revealed that Esther Shehu and David Kpanaki confessed to the allegation.

He filed an application for the two defendants, Esther Shehu and David Kpanaki to be remanded to enable the police conduct their investigations properly.

Chief Ibrahim Muhammed after remanding the suspects, adjourned the case to August 31, for further mention.