Oil Theft: 12-Man Syndicate Jailed For 6 Years

Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday convicted and sentenced a 12 -man syndicate to six years for dealing in 600,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil, otherwise known as diesel, without lawful authority.

Justice Idris handed down the verdict after he found them guilty of a 4-count charge of conspiracy, dealing in diesel without lawful authority and forgery brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in October 2015.

The judge, on the first and second counts, sentenced each of the 12 convicts to a prison term of five years on the first and second counts, while he also sentenced them to six years imprisonment on counts three and four.

The court, however, said the sentences would run concurrently.

Those convicted by the court are: Christopher Okorie, John Mbah, Tammy Bami, Osi Prince, Chukwuji Festus, Kabiru Adeyemo, Ayannubi Moses, Sopuruchukwu Chukwudi, Obinna Ebu, Abdullahi Oyelade, Charles Ubey and Achia Vincent.

They were arraigned alongside their vessel, MV PSV DEBY, and two companies – Phonic Marine Services Limited and Banquet Chambers Nigeria Limited.

According to the EFCC counsel, Ekene Iheanacho, he told the court during the course of trial that the convicts committed the offences between December 2014 and September 2015 in Lagos.

Ekene also told the trial judge that the convicts, with intent to defraud, “forged a document, to wit: Permit to Operate as an Oil Industry Service Company; Specialised Category; Permit No.DPR/OGISP/14/848714/N4146, and purported the permit to have been issued by the Department of Petroleum Resources in order to favour Phonic Marine Services.”

The lawyer had insisted that the convicts acted contrary to sections 1(2)(c), 1(17)(b) and 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

To prove the anti-graft agency’s case, Ekene had called six witnesses, including officials of the Director of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Navy and the EFCC.

In his judgment yesterday, Justice Idris held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubts. 

The judge further ordered the vessel, MV PSV DEBY, and the cargo on board forfeited to the Federal Government.