Justice Abang of the Federal High Court Lagos on Friday, convicted and sentenced illegal oil dealers, their vessel as well as their company, to 42 years imprisonment each.
Adedamola Ogungbayi, Olaniran Olabode, Suraju Gasali, Moses Emmanuel, Wilson Bonsi Okparaodi Omaka Uche, Onyeogo Happy
At the Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday, Justice O.E Abang, convicted and sentenced seven illegal oil dealers, their vessel, MT Good Success as well as their company, Hepa Global Energy Limited, to 42 years imprisonment each.
The convicts who were arrested by officers of the Nigerian Navy on the February, 19, 2014 along the Lagos Waters are; Adedamola Ogungbayi, Olaniran Olabode, Surajo Gasali, Moses Emmanuel, Wilson Bonsi, Okaparaodi Omaka Uche, Onyeogo Happy, MT Good Success and Hepa Global Energy Limited.
They were first arraigned on June 16, 2014 but were later rearraigned on August 28, 2014 on five counts of illegal oil bunkering and dealing in petroleum products without lawful authority or licence.
The convicts, upon arraignment, pleaded not guilty to the charges level against them. In the course of the trial the EFCC presented 11 witnesses while the defence called only five witnesses.
After diligent prosecution by the EFCC, Justice Abang found nine of the accused persons guilty on all the counts. He sentenced each of the accused persons to ten years imprisonment on counts one to four and two years on count five. The sentences are to run concurrently.
In sentencing the convicts, Justice Abang described them as lawless members of the society and expressed the hope that the sentence would serve as deterrent to others.
Source: Premium Times