Court jails two oil thieves in Port Harcourt

Bill on judicial institute, others pass first reading in Rivers Assembly

A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday, sentenced Lawan Abdulahi and Collins Osayande to two years imprisonment for illegal dealing in petroleum products.

Justice S. Pam convicted them after pleading guilty to one count charge bordering on illegal dealings in petroleum products upon their arraignment by the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC).

Defence counsel, E. E. Wvwiekpaefe and O. N. Okek, did not oppose the prayers of the prosecution, but urged the court to temper justice with mercy, as the defendants were first-time offenders.

Justice Pam sentenced Lawan Abdulahi to two years imprisonment with option of N150, 000 fine and Collins Osayande to two years imprisonment with option of N200, 000 fine payable into the Federation’s Consolidated Revenue Account.

BESIDES, the Enactment of Rivers State Judicial Institute Bill 2021, Enactment of Rivers State Housing Scheme for Judicial Officers Bill 2021 and the Accountability and Integrity Commission Bill 2021, yesterday, passed first reading at state House of Assembly.

The lawmakers adopted the first reading of the three executive Bills and a private Bill. Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, read the three executive bills from the state government for enactment into law.

The proposed bills sought to establish an accountability and integrity commission that would provide investigative, procedural powers and responsibilities to fight corruption in the state’s civil service and other sectors.

When passed into law, they would also provide accommodation to all judicial officers of Rivers State origin and establish the Rivers State Judicial Institute for the training and retraining of judicial officers of the state Customary Court.

Also, a private bill sponsored by representative of Obio/Apkor Constituency II, Hon. Michael Chinda, proposed the Enactment Of The Prohibition Of Curtailment Of The Right Of Women To Share In Family Property Bill, which also scaled first reading.