4 bag 6yr jail term for illegal sale of petrol

Justice M. D. Idris of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, has sentenced four persons to a six-year imprisonment for dealing in illegal sale of petroleum. The convicts – Francis Awhandijinou, Anato Mathew, Padonu Jacques and Jean Honfo, were prosecuted by the State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for offences […]

Justice M. D. Idris of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, has sentenced four persons to a six-year imprisonment for dealing in illegal sale of petroleum.

The convicts – Francis Awhandijinou, Anato Mathew, Padonu Jacques and Jean Honfo, were prosecuted by the State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for offences bordering on conspiracy and dealing in petroleum products without appropriate licence or lawful authority.

 City News gathered that the suspects were arrested at Sakpo Village, Sultan Beach, on the Badagry waterways in Lagos by officers of the Nigeria Army attached to Operation MESA with 118 yellow jerry cans of 25 litres each containing petrol.

 The Army officers then handed the suspects to the Nigerian Navy, who later transferred the suspects to the NSCDC for prosecution.

 The legal team of the NSCDC, in a suit number FHC/L/271C/16, charged the suspects to court.

 In a judgement delivered on October 18, 2017, the court sentenced the suspects to six years imprisonment each on the two counts. The sentences are to run concurrently.

 The court also ordered that the confiscated petroleum product, estimated at 2,950 litres, should be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

 The Public Relations Officers of the NSCDC, Mr. Kadir Ibrahim, told City News that the command would continue to work assiduously to rid the state of illegal and unscrupulous dealers of petroleum products.