A court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has convicted and sentenced five oil thieves to various jail terms for dealing in petroleum products without requisite licences.
Justices P. M. Ayuba and S. D. Pam, found Wei Ibolo, Mudashiru Taoheed, Etim Edet, Martins Saviour and Tope Alani guilty and sent them to jail.
They pleaded guilty to one-count separate charge preferred against them by the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), upon their arraignment.
A statement signed by the EFCC Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, said in view of their pleas prosecution lawyers, J. N. Dogonyaro and B. C. Kadiri, prayed the court to convict and sentence them.
Lawyers to the defendants, M. M. Suleiman and B. C. Okeadaka, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, insisting that, “they are first-time offenders and do not have previous criminal records”.
Justice Ayuba convicted and sentenced Taoheed, Saviour, Ibolo and Edet to two years imprisonment each, with an option of fine of N200,000, each, payable into the Consolidated Revenue Account of the Federal Government.
Justice Pam also sentenced Alani to two years imprisonment with an option of N200,000.