Kayode ShopekanFEDERAL High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has jailed five oil thieves for illegal dealing in petroleum products.
The Judge, Justice A.T Muhammed convicted Phoebe M. Ayuba, Peter Listen and Monday Nwibe to six months imprisonment, and Okechukwu Nwosu Dahiru Danborno and Sani Haruna to two years imprisonment each.
The five convicts were jailed after pleading “guilty” to a one-count separate charge bordering on illegal dealing in petroleum products, upon their arraignment by the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
In view of their pleas, the prosecution counsel, prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly. However, defence counsel, Daminabo Davies Livingstone, Obinna Ofordili and David Ayuba prayed the court to temper justice with mercy stressing that they were first-time offenders.
Justice Ayuba convicted and sentenced Listen and Nwibe to six months imprisonment each with an option of fine of Fifty Thousand Naira (N50,000) and Nwosu to two years imprisonment, with an option of fine of N15, 000( Fifteen Thousand Naira only). Also, Justice Muhammed convicted and sentenced Danborno and Haruna to two years imprisonment each, with separate option of fines. Danborno was given an option of a fine of N500, 000( Five Hundred Thousand Naira only) while Haruna was given an option of a fine of N200,000( Two Hundred Thousand Naira only).
The court ordered that petroleum products recovered from the convicts be sold by the Deputy Registrar of the court, in conjunction with EFCC officials and the proceeds paid into the Consolidated Revenue Account of the Federal Government. Also, all the vehicles seized from the convicts: Volkswagen Jetta car with Registration Number RGM 787 AA and Mercedes Truck with registration number: XL 634 UWN be returned to their owners.
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