Forged Import/Clearing Documents
Court reserves ruling on CMA, CGM application
The Justice Oguntoyibo Federal High Court Lagos Division has reserved ruling in the case between CMA CGM Nigeria Shipping Limited plus three others, who are the plaintiff, and the Inspector General of Police, NYA Integrity Action Group and two others, as respondents.
The CMA CGM has dragged the IGP, AIG Zonal Monitoring Unit, Zone 2 Headquarters and two others before the Federal High Court in the matter of its fundamental human right to restrain the respondents from investigating and or prosecuting it and three others over charges of alleged manipulation of import and clearing documents, in which the shipping company and other affected parties are believed to have shipped 10x20 containers of SOAP they unsuccessfully declared as medicure and pedicure into the country in April 2015 through the Tin Can Island Port.
After more than two years of the relief sought, in which the respondents are believed to have made appearances, submitted affidavits and evidences, and also tendered counter affidavits to the plaintiffs fresh applications, Justice Oguntoyibo has fixed March 28, 2019 for judgment.
The respondents have alleged a grand conspiracy between the importers of the controversial items, the shipping company clearing agents, the bonded terminal, and government agencies including the Nigeria Customs Service to manipulate the Bill of Lading, Single Goods Declaration-SGD, Payment Receipts, Inspection Act, Pre-Arrival Assessment Report-PAAR, Assessment Notice and other relevant documents for the purpose of short changing government of correct taxes, levies and customs duty accru-able from the transactions.