9 Foreigners Sentenced To 20yrs Imprisonment For Stealing Nigeria’s Crude Oil

5 Filipinos and 4 Bangladeshis accused of stealing
Nigeria’s crude were sentenced by the Federal High
Court in Lagos on Tuesday to 20 years imprisonment
each, with fine options of N20m per person.
The Judge also ordered their vessel, MT Asteri, to be
forfeited to the Nigerian Government, together with
the crude oil on board.
The EFCC had alleged that on or about March 27,
2015 in Lagos the convicts conspired to commit an
offence involving dealing in 3423.097metric tons of
crude oil without lawful authority or appropriate
license, contrary to Section 1(19)(6) of the
Miscellaneous Offence Act, Cap M17.
It was also alleged that the suspect on the same day
and time stored 3,423. 097 metric tons of crude oil in
MT Asteris’ cargo tanks, and thereby committed an
offence contrary to Section 4 of the Petroleum Act of
the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
The convicted Philippine nationals are:
Axel Joseph Gibo Jabone, Juanito Camireno
Infantado, Suarin Fernado Alave, Gatila Jaypee
Gadayan and Rolando Jose Commendador; while the
Bangladesh nationals are Md Zahirul Islam, Islam
Shahinul, Islam Rafiqul and Shaikn Shibli Nomany.
They all pleaded not guilty to all the charges against
them, following which defence counsel Femi
Adegbite applied for their bail, which was not
opposed by the prosecution.
Prosecuting Counsel Rotimi Oyedepo called seven
witnesses and tendered many exhibits to prove his
case, while the suspects testified for themselves in
the rigorous trial.
Finding them guilty, Justice Buba described the
convicts as numbering among the saboteurs who
have turned Nigeria into the laughing stock in the
comity of Nations, warning that people must begin to
respect Nigeria and its laws.
He sentenced each convict to five years on each of
the four counts, with an option of five million Naira
fine on each of them. While the sentences are to run
concurrently, the option of five is not.