A
Federal High Court sitting in Benin,
Edo State has convicted and sentenced Idris
Abubakar and Ibrahim Hassan to three years imprisonment each without an option
of fine for illegally dealing in petroleum products. The term starts from the
date of their arrest.
The
convicts were among eleven suspected illegal dealers of petroleum products
arrested by men of the Joint Task Force, 4th Brigade, Nigerian Army,
Benin
sometime in January, 2012 and handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission for further investigation and prosecution.
They
were subsequently arraigned before Justice A. M. Liman, on a four-count charge
bordering on conspiracy, forgery and illegal dealing in petroleum product.
After
diligent prosecution, the court found the sixth and the eight accused persons, (Idris
Abubakar and Ibrahim Hassan), guilty on count four which borders on uttering of
forged waybill and convicted them
accordingly. The judge said the convicts cannot be
said to be ignorant that the waybill was forged since they are not new in the
business.
The
other accused persons - Mohammed Yusuf, Adamu Mansur, Sani Rabiu, Murtala
Mohammed, Yahaya Usman, Yahaya Mohammed, Hamisu Kamba (diseased), Aminu
Ibrahim, and Ibrahim Ahmed - were discharged and acquitted on counts one, two
and three.
The
deceased, Hamisu Kamba, was struck from the charge.
However,
the prosecution made an oral consequential application pursuant to Sections
1(17) (a) and (b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act; 25 and 30 of the EFCC Act;
Order 3 Rules 6 and 9 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2009
and the inherent jurisdiction of the court, that the conveying truck and its
content be forfeited to the Federal Government.
The
trial judge then ordered that the prosecution counsel to make a formal
application subject to judicial enquiry since the items are still exhibits of
the court.
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