The Port Harcourt Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, on Wednesday, March 17, 2021 secured the conviction and sentencing of two oil thieves: Damiete Kamuel and Francis Egbedi, who both pleaded “guilty” to one- count separate charge bordering on illegal dealing in petroleum products.
The offence runs contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) and punishable under 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) of the same Act.
The one- count charge read: “That you Damiete Kamuel on or about the 17th day of December, 2017 at Abuloma Jetty Port Harcourt, Rivers State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court without appropriate license dealt in petroleum product, to wit: 40metric tons of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) conveyed in a Vessel MV LOLO 20 and thereby committed 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) of the same Act”
“That you Francis Egbedi on or about the 17th day of December, 2017 at Abuloma Jetty Port Harcourt, Rivers State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court without appropriate license dealt in petroleum product to wit: 40 metric tons Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) conveyed in a Vessel MV LOLO 14 and thereby committed 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) of the same Act”
In view of their pleas, prosecution counsel, M. T. Iko prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
However, defense counsel, O. N. Okeke, urged the court to temper justice with mercy, pleading that “they are first- time offenders who have no previous criminal records.
Justice Abubakar convicted and sentenced the defendants to three years imprisonment each, with an option of fine of Three Hundred Thousand Naira (N300,000) each.
The 40 metric tons of Automotive Gas oil, being the product on board MV LOLO 20 shall be forfeited to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, but the vessel MV LOLO 20 was released to the owner.
The convicts were arrested by Officers of the Nigeria Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, around Abuloma Jetty in Port Harcourt, Rivers State while transporting Automotive Gas Oil. They were arrested alongside a Vessel: MV LOLO 20 and a Tugboat carrying petroleum products without an appropriate license.
