The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Port Harcourt Zonal Office on Wednesday, arraigned Augustine Ofehe, Patience Tony and a barge under the watchful eye of a Federal High Court sitting in Bayelsa.
Justice J. E. Inyang directed the case.
EFCC charged the team on two-count charges of conspiracy and illegal dealing in petroleum product.
Be that as it may, when the charges were read used to the defendants, they argued “not guilty.”
The first and second defendants, who had no license to deal in petroleum products, were arrested alongside a metal barge podium, loaded with an unspecified quantity of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil by officers of the Nigeria Navy of Forward Operation Base FOMOSO, on May 15, 2017, and handed over to the EFCC for further investigation and prosecution.
One of the charges read:
“That you Augustine Ofelie and Patience Tony on or about the 15th day of May 2017 in Bayelsa State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, without an appropriate licence to deal in petroleum product to wit: 600,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO/diesel), conveyed in a metal barge podium and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) and punishable under section 1 (17) (a) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, CAP M17 of the revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria), 2007 and punishable under section 1 (17) of the same Act.”
In view of their pleas, prosecuting counsel, M. T. Iko prayed the court for a commencement date of trial and for the defendants to be remanded in prison custody.
Be that as it may, direction to the main defendant, D. J. Nwoniowei made an oral application for his bail, which was embraced by guidance to the subsequent defendant , H. M Emerenini who included that his client was a nursing mother.
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On his own part, insight to the third litigant ( scow ) said he will officially move toward the court for the bail use of the vessel.
Justice Inyang conceded the first and second defendant to bail in the entirety of N1million (One million naira in particular)) each, and with reliable sureties in like sum, who must be resident in Yenagoa, and would deposit their two recent passport photographs and valid means of identification with the court.
Moreover, the sureties must pledge to a testimony of means and should make their telephone numbers accessible to the court, while their verification would be carried out by the crime investigating officer.
He then remanded the defendants in EFCC custody and adjourned the matter till October 5, 9 and 12, 2020 for trial.
