Lagos – A Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday sentenced 14 foreigners to between two and five years imprisonment for dealing in petroleum products in Nigeria without licence.
Justice Ibrahim Buba found them guilty of illegally dealing in 1,738 metric tonnes of petroleum products.
The convicts were charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Buba sentenced 11 of the 14 convicts to two years imprisonment with an option of fine of N1 million each.
The judge said that the sentence would run from March 2015 when they were apprehended by the Nigerian Navy and handed over to the EFCC.
The judge, however, sentenced the remaining three convicts, who jumped bail, to five years imprisonment without an option of fine.
The three convicts who jumped bail are Russians while others were identified as citizens of Ukraine, Philippine and Japan.
The convicts are: Artur Pakhladzhian, Sergo Abbgarian, Vasily Shkundich, Vitaliy Bilours, Hlarion Regipor, Laguta Oleksiy and Cadavis Gerarado.
Others are: Kretov Andry, Badurian Benjamin, Chepikov Olksan, Naranjo Antero, Patro Christian, Alcayde Joel and Caratiquit Beyan.
The judge issued a warrant for the arrest of the three Russian citizens who jumped bail and ordered that their jail term should start from the day they are re-arrested.
The judge also ordered the forfeiture of the petroleum products and the vessel used in conveying the product to the Federal Government.
He further ordered the two companies convicted alongside the foreigners, to pay a fine of N5 million on each of the five counts preferred against them.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
The EFCC had on June 10, 2015 arraigned the 14 convicts before Justice Buba on four count charges, which were later amended to five.
They were arraigned alongside their vessel – MT Anukt Emerald, and two companies – Monjasa DMCC, and Glencore Energy UK Ltd.
The prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, had told the court that the men were handed over to the EFCC by the Nigerian Navy which on Feb. 27, 2015 intercepted them with their vessel, loaded with crude oil.
They all pleaded not guilty and were granted bail in the sum of N50 million each.
In his judgment, the judge said that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Pleading for mercy for his clients defence counsel, Babajide Koku (SAN), urged the court to consider that the convicts are young men in their prime, who had no previous records of conviction.
Koku said that they were only employees carrying out the instructions of their employer and were not privy to the deal. (NAN)
