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Court Jails Five Oil Thieves In PH
Five oil thieves have been convicted and sentenced to different jail terms by three Judges of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The convicts are: Noel Akpan; Digie Global Marine Services; MT Europort, MV Sea Rich and Obinna Onyeneho Kenneth.
They were all convicted for illegal dealing in petroleum products.
While Noel Akpan, Digie Global Marine Services and a vessel, MT Europoort were convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment each by Justice S. Pam on July 22, 2021, Justice P. M. Ayuba convicted and sentenced a vessel, MV Sea Rich to three years imprisonment on July 16, 2021 while Justice E.A. Obile convicted and sentenced Obinna Onyeneho Kenneth to three years imprisonment on June 30, 2021.
The trio of Akpan, Global Marine Services and Europort were originally arraigned by the Port Harcourt Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on June 6, 2017, and pleaded “not guilty” to three-count charges bordering on conspiracy and illegal dealing in petroleum products.
They later changed their pleas to “guilty” on July 22, 2021.
One of the charges against them read, “That you Noel Akpan (a.k.a. Ughaeze Chibuzo Valentine) and others at large on about the 2nd day of June, 2015, around Forupa Waterways, Bayelsa State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire to commit felony, to wit: adulteration of 1,500 metric tonnes of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) loaded into M.T. Europort and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3 (6) of Miscellaneous Act CAP 10 M17 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 and punishable under 1 (18) if the same Act”
Another count read: “That you Noel Akpan, a.k.a. Ughaeze Chibuzo Valentine, Digie Global Marine Services Ltd, and others now at large, on or about the 2nd day of June, 2015, around Forupa Waterways, Bayelsa State within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court engaged in adulteration of 1,500 metric tons of Automotive Gas Oil, (AGO) loaded into MT Europort and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (18) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act CAP M17 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 and punishable under Section 1 (18) of the Act”
Based on their pleas of “guilty”, prosecution counsel, F.O. Amama prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Defense counsel, C.J. Nmerem did not oppose the prayer of the prosecution.
Justice Pam convicted and sentenced Akpan to two years imprisonment with an option of fine of N1million which is to run concurrently.
He convicted Digie Marine Global Services and MT Europort to a fine of N1million and N3million, respectively.
The fines are to be paid into the Consolidated Revenue Account of the Federal Government.
The judge also ordered that the product on board MT Europort be sold by the Chief Registrar of the Court and the proceeds paid also into the Consolidated Revenue Account of the Federal Government and evidence of payment filed in court.
Akpan’s journey to the Correctional Centre began when he was arrested by a patrol team of the Joint Task Force, JTF (Operation PULO Shield) at Forupa waterways in Bayelsa State on board MT Europort loaded with about 1,500 metric tonnes of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).
He was handed over to the EFCC alongside the vessel and his company: Digie Global Marine Services.
In another court, Justice P.M. Ayuba convicted and sentenced MV Sea Rich to three years imprisonment.
The vessel was arraigned on one-count charge bordering on illegal dealing in petroleum products.
The charge read, “That you MV SEA RICH on or about the first April, 2017 around El-Totuama Boat Yard Waterside in Port Harcourt, Rivers State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court dealt in petroleum products to wit: Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) which was not of quality expected of such product and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1 (18) (a) (ii) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, CAP M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004”.
The vessel, represented by Sebastine Godwin, pleaded “guilty” to the lone charge preferred against it.
In view of the plea of “guilty” by the defendant, prosecuting Counsel F. C. Obinwa, prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly.
Counsel to the defendant, James Allen prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, stressing that “he is a first- time offender and has no previous criminal records”.
Justice Ayuba convicted and sentenced the vessel to three years in Correctional Service with an option of fine of N1million payable into the Federal Government’s Account.
Troubles came for MV Sea Rich when it was intercepted by the patrol team of Sector 3, Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe, Okirika, Rivers State, on April 1, 2017, loaded with a large quantity of substance suspected to be illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil, AGO.
The captain and crew members vanished into thin air, leaving behind the vessel.
In the matter of Obinna Onyeneho Kenneth, Justice E.A Obile convicted and sentenced him to three years imprisonment on one-count charge bordering on illegal dealing in petroleum product.
The one count charge read, “That you Obinna Onyeneho Kenneth on or about the 11th September, 2019, around Borikiri, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did deal in petroleum product, which is not of good quality and being transported in a vehicle with a registration number HAF 841 TY, and thereby committed an offence contrary Section 1 (18) (a) (i) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act M17 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) Act 2007, and punishable under Section 1 (18) (a) (of the same Act).
In view of his plea, prosecution counsel, K.W. Chukwuma-Eneh prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly.
Justice Obile found him guilty as charged and consequently convicted and sentenced him to three years imprisonment with an option of fine of N500,000.00).
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.