Justice E. A. Obile of the Federal high Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has convicted and sentenced five oil thieves to different jail terms.
The convicts: Salisu Abubakar; Aliyu Mohammed Umar; Mohammed Sambo Yahaya, Musa Mohammed and Abbas Melle were convicted and sentenced after pleading “guilty” to charges of dealing in petroleum products without authority and appropriate licence.
The Port Harcourt Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) has preferred the charge against the convicts.
While Abubakar, Umar, Yahaya and Mohammed were sentenced to three years imprisonment each, Melle was sentenced to four years imprisonment.
Abubakar, Umar and Yahaya were also jailed based on Section 1 (1) (a) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, CAP M17 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria), 2007.
On their involvement, Mohammed and Melle were convicted based on Section 1 (18) (a) (i) of Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17 of the Revised Edition, (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007.
Justice Obile jailed Abubakar, Mohammed and Melle on Monday, June 28, 2021 while Umar and Yahaya were jailed on Thursday, June 24, 2021.
The one-count separate charge preferred against one of the convicts reads in part: “That you Aliyu Mohammed Umar on December 31, 2017 at Port Harcourt-Aba Road, Port Harcourt Rivers State and without appropriate license dealt in petroleum product to wit: Automated Gas Oil (AGO) conveyed in a Truck marked EKY 157 XS and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) and punishable under Section 1 (17) (a) of the of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, CAP M17 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria), 2007 and punishable under Section 1 (17) of the same Act.”
The convicts however got various options of fine.
Abubakar and Melle got an option of fine of N500,000.00 each while Umar, Yahaya and Mohammed had an option of fine of N300,000.00 each.
Justice Obile ordered that the products on board the Truck marked FKY 206 YF should be sold by the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, and money realised be paid into the Federal Government’s Account.
The Judge further directed that the products on board the Truck marked XA 327 JMT be forfeited to the Federal Government while both trucks should released to their owners.
The convicts’ journey to the Correctional Centre began when the EFCC, on different dates, took over the investigation of their cases from the 6 Division, Nigeria Army, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The cases involved five different trucks: an Iveco Tanker marked XA 521 KBG; Mack Tanker marked River GGU 138 XA; three other trucks marked EKY 157 XS, FKY 206 YF and XA 327 JMT. They were all arrested at different locations while loading petroleum products suspected to be illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).
