The Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service has charged two accused persons, a Lebanese, Mr. Fares Chawich and his Nigerian accomplice Chief Emmanuel Ekong of 27A Bishop Oluwole Street Victoria Island Lagos and No. 17 Sobo Arobiodu Street GRA Ikeja respectively to the Federal High Court Ikeja for tampering with the Customs seal placed on five exotic vehicles in their premises for clearing discrepancies in order to avoid payment of N232.9 million import tariff.
The Unit’s Controller, Turaki Usman Adamu disclosed this while responding to media enquiries on the matter.
He stated that the Unit was compelled to charge the accused persons to court before Justice Saliu Seidu of the Federal High Court Ikeja following the illegal act of breaking Customs seal in violation of Section 145(5) of the Customs and Excise management Act Cap C45 laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004.
The controller pointed out that intelligence activity led to the discovery that the exotic vehicles parked in the premises of the accused in Ikeja GRA were grossly undervalued in clear violation of the federal government import policy.
He listed the five vehicles as BRABUS G800 Model (2013) Chassis No. 212718; Maybach 625 Model (2009) Chassis No. 002513; Mclaren SLR Model (2009) Chassis No. 001960; Aston Martin Model (2009) Chassis No. 815026; and Ferrari 458 Model (2013) Chassis No. 195200.
He stressed that the unit had written a letter to the accused following intelligence information that the vehicles did not comply with standard import procedure in terms of due diligence.
He however confirmed that the documents of the vehicles were eventually subjected to system check at the Unit and was discussed that the vehicles were grossly undervalued.
“In line with Service procedure and in our quest to recover appropriate duty accruable to the vehicles, placed them on Customs seal after raising a detention notice which one Mr. Fares Chawich who stood as surety had undertaken to pay,” he said.
The Controller regretted that instead of the first accused coming forward for regularisation of duty, they rather took to breaking the seal and removing the vehicles.
The Controller added that it was intelligence activity that led to the discovery of one of the vehicles in Victoria Island area of Lagos.
He said the total amount of outstanding duty from the vehicles stood at N232.9 million.
A five count charge bordering on intent to defraud the Federal Government of unpaid duty totalling was N232.9 million was slammed on the accused, who were granted bail with stringent conditions.
Meanwhile the Controller confirmed that some other exotic vehicles evacuated from the same facility were still being investigated with a view to ascertaining the appropriateness of the clearing procedure.
The Controller confirmed that the accused person has been remanded in Ikoyi Prison pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions, while the second accused Emmanuel Ekong, now at large, is being tracked.
“Investigations are still ongoing to unravel the circumstances and source(s) of importation” he stated.
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