The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the conviction and sentencing to jail of Abdullahi Umar for illegally dealing in petroleum products without appropriate license.
According to a statement made available to the media, by the Commission’s spokesperson, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, Umar was convicted on Tuesday January 18, 2022 after pleading “guilty” before Justice S.D Pam of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, following a one-count charge preferred against him by the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of anti-graft agency.
TheFact Nigeria gathers that the suspect was arrested by officers and men of 6 Division, Nigeria Army, on October 7, 2021 around Okporowo, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for illegal dealing in petroleum products. He was subsequently handed over to the EFCC alongside the Truck, for more investigation and possible prosecution.
Umar had been driving an Axor Tanker loaded with 15,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil, AGO, without lawful authority to do so, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 1(17) (a) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 and punishable under Section 1 (17) (ii) of the same Act”
Umar pleaded “guilty” when the charge was read to him, following which, prosecution counsel M. T. Iko, prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly.
Counsel to the defendant, A.S. W. Amadi, however, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, as he was a first time offender, ” with no previous criminal records”.
Justice Pam convicted and sentenced the defendant to two years imprisonment in a Correctional Centre, with an option of fine of Five Hundred Thousand Naira only (N500,000.00) payable into the Consolidated Revenue Account of the Federation.
He also ordered that the 15,000 litres of illegally- refined petroleum product, AGO arrested alongside the truck be forfeited to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and sold by the Secretary of the EFCC, or any other person designated by him. The proceeds of the sale should be paid into the EFCC’s Recovery Account domiciled with the Central bank of Nigeria (CBN). He also released the truck to its owner.
The judge further ordered the convict to depose to an affidavit of good behaviour before the court.
