By Robert Egbe
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos Tuesday remanded an Indian national Rahul Pathania in correctional services custody for allegedly dealing in 45 tons of petroleum products illegally.
Justice Rilwan Aikawa’s order followed Pathania’s plea of “guilty” to conspiracy and “not guilty” to two other related counts filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC, which arraigned the defendant alongside a vessel, M.V Bount, told the judge that the duo were arrested on January 31, 2020 in Nigerian waters, by the Nigerian Navy and handed over to the anti-graft agency.
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Prosecution counsel Usman Buhari alleged that the defendants conspired to deal in “45 metric tons of petroleum products without appropriate license”.
The court heard that the offence violated Section 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, 2004 and was punishable under Section 1(7) of the same Act.
In view of his plea, Buhari prayed the court for a date to commence trial and also asked that the defendant be remanded in Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS) custody.
Justice Aikawa granted his prayer and adjourned till October 7, 2020 for trial.
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