Court Transfers Pipeline Vandals’ Case

Justice Mohammed
Yunusa of the Federal High Court, Lagos last Wednesday transferred the case of 28 men suspected to have tampered with NNPC Petroleum pipeline to an Abeokuta Federal High Court in Ogun.
Yunusa made the transfer because the case was initially brought to him when courts were on vacation and he was sitting as a vacation judge.
The 28 accused persons are: Akeem Raimi, Abiodun Odetayo, Joseph Abiodun, Seyi Olojo, Wale Shobande, Sunday Balogun, Dauda Maseka, Oyefeso Azeez and Sholaja Adeyinka.
Others are Ademola Olaseni, Ibrahim Wasiu, Bello Ibrahim, Umaru Bello, Jakande Fasasi, Seun Adeyemi, Dayo Osho, Dele Oladunjoye, Segun Adekoya and Wasiu Oyekunle.
The rest are Olayemi Ogungbade, Kewulere Akorede, Olaniyi Sampson, Kabiri Usman, Gbenga Otaikun, Segun Babatunde, Monday Beutrus and Olalekan Awosanya.
The accused people are standing trial on a four-count charge, bordering on conspiracy, tampering with petroleum pipeline and dealing in petroleum products illegally.
The accused persons were first arraigned on Aug. 7 and they pleaded not guilty to all the counts but were remanded in prison custody.
They had been in prison custody since Aug. 7.
The Prosecutor, Mrs Chioma Ezeilo, alleged that on Aug. 4 at about 8.00 p.m., the accused people tampered with the NNPC oil pipeline situated at 0gere in the Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun.
She said that the pipeline was used to transport petroleum products nationwide.
Ezeilo said that the offence contravened Sections 3 (6) and1 (7) (a) (b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation 2004.
During the resumption of hearing, Ezeilo told the court that she sought the transfer of the case to an Abeokuta Federal High Court.
The Defence Counsel, Mr Adebayo Ogungbemi, did not object to the transfer of the application.
The trial judge, therefore, ordered that the case be transferred to Abeokuta.