Five Filipinos and four Bangladeshis accused of crude oil offences in
Nigeria were today sentenced by the Federal High Court in Lagos to 20
years imprisonment each, with fine options of N20million per person.
Dec 2015
Five Filipinos and four
Bangladeshis accused of crude oil offences in Nigeria were today
sentenced by the Federal High Court in Lagos to 20 years imprisonment
each, with fine options of N20million per person.
The court also ordered their vessel, MT Asteri, to be forfeited to
the Federal Government of Nigeria, together with the crude oil on board.
The convicted Philippine nationals are: Axel Joseph Gibo Jabone,
Juanito Camireno Infantado, Suarin Fernado Alave, Gatila Jaypee Gadayan
and Rolando Jose Commendador; while the Bangladesh nationals are Md
Zahirul Islam, Islam Shahinul, Islam Rafiqul and Shaikn Shibli Nomany.
The
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had alleged that on or
about March 27, 2015 in Lagos the nine men conspired to commit an
offence involving dealing in 3423.097metric tons of crude oil without
lawful authority or appropriate license, contrary to Section 1(19)(6) of
the Miscellaneous Offence Act, Cap M17.
It was also alleged that the suspect on the same day and time, stored
3,423. 097 metric tons of crude oil in MT Asteris' cargo tanks, and
thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 4 of the Petroleum Act
of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
They all pleaded not guilty to all the charges against them,
following which defence counsel Femi Adegbite applied for their bail,
which was not opposed by the prosecution.
The trial judge, Justice Ibrahim Buba, granted them bail in the sum
of N50 million each, with one surety who must be a Nigerian, provide
evidence of means, and deposit his passport with the registrar of the
court.
Prosecuting Counsel Rotimi Oyedepo called seven witnesses and
tendered many exhibits to prove his case, while the suspects testified
for themselves in the rigorous trial. .
Finding the suspects guilty, Justice Buba described the convicts as
numbering among the saboteurs who have turned Nigeria into the laughing
stock in the comity of Nations, warning that Nigerians and non-Nigerians
must respect Nigeria and its laws.
He sentenced each convict to five years on each of the four counts,
with an option of five million Naira fine on each of them. While the
sentences are to run concurrently, the option of five is not.
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