A defendant, Isaac Bassey, has told Magistrate S.K. Matepo of the Samuel Ilori Courthouse in Ogbà, Lagos State, that he is not part of the contract that led to the disappearance of 33,000 litres of kerosene in the state.

Bassey, alongside one Peter, are on trial for allegedly stealing 33,000 litres of kerosene worth N6m and disposing of the delivery truck.

The defendant, who was led in evidence by the defence counsel, U.E. Udo, told the court that he was not a party to the matter.

He said one Ndubuisi contacted him for a delivery truck that could transport 33,000 litres of kerosene, but he could not provide it.

He said, “He sent one Morris to meet me. That day, I was sitting with Mr Peter (co-defendant). I told Morris that I didn’t have what Ndubuisi asked for. Mr Peter said he had a truck of 33,000 litres.”

Bassey said his involvement ended when Mr Peter called the owner of the truck who handed the truck to Ndubuisi, adding that Ndubuisi and his escorts loaded kerosene to the container and left.

He said Ndubuisi called him two days later to complain that the driver could not be reached.

He, however, noted that he received the same complaint the following Monday.

The witness said the union officers and the police were informed when the truck and the 33,000 litres of kerosene got missing.

Bassey said the police remanded him and Peter on Monday and asked Ndubuisi to come on Tuesday, but he did not show up until Friday.

“The owner of the kerosene told the police to lock up Ndubuisi because he was the one that diverted the product. The DPO said he was going to lock him up that Friday because he also had not shown up since Monday.

“But Ndubuisi called SARS operatives. They came that Friday evening and took us to their base in Ikeja, where I and Peter were remanded for two weeks,” Bassey added.

He said he was not part of the contract, adding that Ndubuisi falsified the loading and delivery documents.

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