THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arraigned nine Filipinos and Bangladeshis for allegedly attempting to export crude oil out of Nigeria without licence.
They pleaded not guilty to the four-count charge before Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court in Lagos.
They are Axel Jabone, Zahirul Islam, Juanito Infantado, Suarin Alave, Gatila Gadayan, Islam Shahinul, Islam Rafiqul, Shaikh Nomany and Rolando Comendador. They were charged along with a vessel, MT Asteris.
EFCC said the accused persons on March 27 conspired among themselves to deal in 3,423.097 metric tonnes of crude oil without lawful authority.
They were alleged to have stored the crude oil in MT Asteris cargo tanks marked 1C, 3C and 4C without licence, and had attempted to export the crude from Nigeria.
The alleged offences contravene sections 1 (17) (a), 1 (19)(6) and 1 (17) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under sections 17 and 1(19)(a) of the Act.
By storing the crude oil without licence, the commission said they committed an offence contrary to Section 4 of the Petroleum Act, Cap P10, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
Justice Buba granted them bail for N50 million each with two sureties in like sum, who must be Nigerians and must swear to an affidavit of means.
If the sureties are not Nigerians, they must produce bank guarantees worth the bail amount, and the defendants must deposit their international passports.
Their trial will begin on June 23.