The Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee, EFCC, Lagos Zonal workplace, has arraigned 9 suspected unlawful Petroleum sellers and a vessel, MT OMUS, earlier than a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos south-west Nigeria.
The alleged unlawful Petroleum sellers are Anoruo Joseph; James Miracle; Louis Gbezeh; Tochukwu Nnagora; Nelson Umah; Sunday Ademoyege; Shittu Joseph, Afotan Ayene and Lukman Agberongbe. They had been arrested aboard a vessel, MT Omus, by officers of the Nigerian Navy and subsequently handed over to the EFCC for additional investigation and prosecution.
EFCC said within the cost: “That you just, James Miracle, someday in February 2020, throughout the jurisdiction of this honourable court docket, with out applicable license, dealt in 800 metric tonnes of petroleum product and thereby dedicated an offence opposite to and punishable beneath Part 1(17) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap. M17, Legal guidelines of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
That you just, Shittu Joseph and MT OMUS, on the 13th of February 2020, throughout the jurisdiction of this honourable court docket, with out applicable license, tried to export 800 metric tonnes of petroleum merchandise and thereby dedicated an offence opposite to and punishable beneath Part 1(19) and punishable beneath Part 1(17) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Legal guidelines of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
The defendants, who had been arraigned individually, pleaded not responsible to the fees
In view of their pleas, the prosecuting counsel, U. Buhari and Okay.E. Uduak, urged the court docket to repair trial dates.
Counsel to the defendants, Barrister Ikechukwu Ukadike advised the court docket of pending bail functions earlier than the court docket for his shoppers, and in his submission urged the court docket to grant them bail in probably the most liberal phrases.
The presiding decide,Justice Maureen Oyetenu granted every of the defendants bail within the sum of N10 million every with one surety in like sum.
The sureties every should be a civil servant who should not be beneath Grade Stage 14. whereas the sureties should every have a verifiable deal with throughout the jurisdiction of the court docket in addition to a three-year tax clearance, which will probably be verified by the court docket officers.
Thereafter, Justice Oyetenu, whereas adjourning until 13th of July,2020 for trial to begin ordered that the defendants ought to stay within the custody of EFCC pending when they’re transfered to the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service, NSC
Supply: www.thenewsnigeria.com.ng
