Court jails two persons for illegal oil dealing

Justice F. O. Riman of the Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom on Friday November 9, 2018, sentenced the duo of Suleiman Adamu and Ibrahim Usman to one year imprisonment each for illegally conveying petroleum product without proper licensing.

The convicts were arrested on April 11, 2018 at Abak road military checkpoint in Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state by men of the Nigerian Army – 2 Brigade, Uyo, and later handed over to the Uyo Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for investigation and prosecution.

They were caught with 190 large cellophane bags of the product loaded in a truck with Kano Registration number: KNC 145 XA.

Following their guilty plea to the one-count charge of illegally dealing in Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) preferred against them, Adamu and Usman were convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment with an option of  fine of Twenty Thousand Naira (N20,000) each.

While delivering judgement, Justice Riman stated that even though both parties agreed to and entered a plea bargain agreement, the plea bargain does not derogate the objective of the criminal proceeding and forfeiture of proceeds of the crime.

He added, “Since an appellant cannot be allowed to enjoy the proceeds of the crime, forfeiture will also serve as a deterrent. The accused persons are hereby sentenced to one year imprisonment from date of arrest or pay a fine of N20,000 each, while the product be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria”.