by Ranti Joseph
The Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) on Wednesday took a gang of 20 men including one Captain Daniel Lebile before a Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly dealing in petroleum products without lawful authority.
The accused were arraigned before Justice Ibrahim Buba on three counts in relation to the offence. Apart from Lebile, the others are Ala Ibanibo, Wole Ajayi, Adesunloye Fani-Kayode, Michael Mgbanwa, Segun Ekundemi, Johnson Mashebinu, Ndidi Benjamin, Bright Nwaezuoke, Blessing Omoviye and Kayode Ireti. Others are Chuks Isiwepkweni, Friday Nchikpa, Peter Bayo, Ubom Amos, Zuopamo Embiowei, Olabamerun Owolemi, Adams Husseini, Ebisingha Timmy and Godwin Oputeh.
The accused were arraigned alongside their vessel, MV Long Island and their companies Afa Global Impex Services Limited and GFL Marine Service Limited.
As contained in the charge sheet numbered FHC/L/38C/15, the accused, on or about December 2, 2014, allegedly conspired and dealt in about 200 metric tons of petroleum products without lawful authority or appropriate licence.
The EFCC prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo, said the offence ran afoul of sections 17 and 19(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The offence was also said to contravene Section 4 of the Petroleum Act, Cap P10, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. But the 23 accused persons denied being culpable and pleaded not guilty upon reading the charges to them.
Oyedepo thereafter urged the court to grant him a short adjournment to enable him to gather his witnesses and bring them to court. He also urged the court to order the prison remand of the accused person while the trial lasted. “My Lord, in view of the plea of the accused, we shall be asking for a short adjourned date to allow us to assemble our witnesses. We shall also be asking the court that the accused persons should be remanded in the prison custody,” Oyedepo said.
But a counsel from the defence, Alozie, opposed Oyedepo’s appeal to remand the defendants in prison custody.
Alozie urged the court to admit the accused persons to bail in liberal conditions pursuant to Section 36 of the Constitution, just as he informed the court that some of them were already on administrative bail by the EFCC. “My Lord, I leave the issue of bail at the discretion of the court, but I am only praying that My Lord will grant bail in conditions that will ensure that the accused persons attend trial,” Alozie said.
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