Court convicts firm for stealing Chevron’s contract staff salaries

Mkpoikana Udoma

Port Harcourt — A Lagos Special Offences Court has convicted AAC Consulting Limited for stealing over N30.5 million belonging to contract staff of Chevron Nigeria Limited, sealing a long-running fraud case that exposed how outsourced workers’ salaries were diverted by their own payroll handlers.

The judge, Justice Rahman Oshodi, found the firm guilty of stealing N30,564,635.81, following its prosecution by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The conviction followed the company’s guilty plea to an amended one-count charge of stealing, contrary to Section 285(1) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

The case dates back to June 5, 2023, when AAC Consulting Limited and its Managing Director, Anthony Adeoye, were arraigned on a 50-count charge bordering on stealing and issuance of dud cheques. Both defendants initially pleaded not guilty, forcing the EFCC to open full trial.

During proceedings, prosecuting counsel, I.O. Daramola, called two witnesses, while several documents were tendered and admitted as exhibits by the court to establish how the funds meant for Chevron contract staff were allegedly misappropriated.

However, the trial took a dramatic turn after the full repayment of the stolen sum to the petitioner in December 2023.

Following the refund, the defendants changed their plea to “guilty”, prompting the EFCC to amend the charge, dropping the multiple counts and proceeding against the company alone on a single count of stealing.

The amended charge stated that AAC Consulting Limited, “on or about April 27, 2013, at Lagos, dishonestly converted to its own use the aggregate sum of N30,564,635.81, property of contract staff of Chevron Nigeria Limited.”

After reviewing the plea and evidence before the court, Justice Oshodi convicted the company and imposed a N5 million fine, with a stern warning.

The court ordered that the fine must be paid within 14 days, failing which AAC Consulting Limited will be wound up.

The conviction sends a strong message to outsourcing and payroll management firms, particularly those handling funds for multinational oil companies, that refund of stolen money does not erase criminal liability.

For the affected Chevron contract staff, the judgment closes a 13-year chapter of financial abuse, while reinforcing EFCC’s stance that corporate entities will be held accountable for payroll fraud and breach of trust in Nigeria’s corporate and labour ecosystem.