The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Thursday, arraigned a vessel, MT Vine and six suspected oil thieves, before a Federal High Court, Lagos, for stealing 1080 Metric Tons of Automated Gas Oil (AGO), popularly called diesel.
Those arraigned alongside the vessel are: Okpene Peter, Lateef Akin, Sarumi Evans, Obodo Cosmos and Onipede Kayode.
However, the fifth suspect, Adams Akeem, was arraigned in absentia.
The EFCC in the four count filed against the accused persons, alleged that all the had on June 12, 2017, conspired among themselves to dealt in petroleum products without lawful authority.
They were also alleged to unlawfully stored 1080 Metric Tons of AGO in MT Vine’s cargo tank. And equally distributed same the product.
The offences according to the prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, are contrary sections 19(6), 17 and 4 of the Petroleum Act. Cap. P. Laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004, and punishable under section 17 of the same Act.
All the accused persons pleaded not guilty, after the charges were reading to them.
However, the court presided over by Justice Rilwan Aikawa, ordered that all the accused persons be remanded in EFCC’s custody till October 6, to rule on their bail applications.
The Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC today arraigned six suspected oil thieves alongside thier Vessel, MT Vine.
Following the arraignment of the accused persons, the prosecutor, Mr. Oyedepo informed the court that he intended to open his matter in line with section 300 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
Consequently, upon Oyedepo’s application, the first prosecution witness, an operative of EFCC, Mr Egeerue Cajetan, was called into the witness box.
In his evidence-in-chief, Cajetan informed the court that on July 19, 2017 the Nigerian Navy handed over the vessel ‘MT Vine’ and the other suspects to EFCC after an earlier letter dated July 17, notifying the Commission of the arrest around Lagos save anchorage. He added that the Navy said the vessel and its crew members were arrested based on intelligence report that the vessel was carrying Automated Gas Oil, AGO, believed to have been sought illegally.
The witness also told the court that the Nigerian Navy in their letter to the Commission stated that preliminary investigation carried out revealed that the product does not meet the true put specification, while further investigation conducted out by the EFCC in conjunction with the Department of petroleum Resources (DPR), National Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), also revealed that the vessel and the company operating it in Nigeria, Maxweir Limited did not have an operating license to lift petroleum product.
However, the matter has been adjourned till October 6, for continuation of trial and ruling on the accused persons’ bail applications.
