Oil thief bags 12 years in prison, vessel forfeited to FG

Justice J. K. Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday, convicted and sentenced Olaniyi Oluwasayo Oladele to 12 years in prison with N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) option of fine for illegal dealing in petroleum products without appropriate licence.

EFCC Acting Spokesperson, who disclosed this yesterday in Abuja, stated that the offence was contrary to Section 1 (17) (a) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) Act 2007 and punishable under Section 1 (18) (a) (i) of the same Act.

According to Orilade, the convict was prosecuted alongside Sule Ezra and MV Idoma River by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, Port Harcourt Zonal office on a three-count charge to which he pleaded guilty. He got seven years on count two and five on count three, which run concurrently.

The Spokesman noted that the second defendant, Sule Ezra was discharged and acquitted, while the third, M.V Idoma River 101 was ordered to be forfeited to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The defendant’s journey to prison started in February 5, 2017 when he was arrested alongside six others by officers of the Nigerian Navy at Akpos Jetty, Aboloma in Port Harcourt with the vessel, MV Idoma River 101, laden with about 140,000 liters of adulterated substance, suspected to be illegally refined automotive gas oil, diverted from its approved destination in a mother vessel, Silver Point”.“The vessel and crew members were handed over to EFCC for further investigation and possible prosecution.”