Justice Ibrahim Nasir Buba of a Lagos Federal High Court, on Friday, convicted and sentenced 14 foreigners over unlawful dealing in petroleum products in Nigeria.
The names of the convicts as listed on the charge sheet, are Artur Pakhladzhian, Sergo Abbgarian, Vasily Shkundich, Vitaliy Bilours, Hlarion Regipor, Laguta Oleksiy and Cadavis Gerarado, Kretov Andry, Badurian Benjamin, Chepikov Olksan, Naranjo Antero, Patro Christian, Alcayde Joel and Caratiquit Beyan.
The convicts were arraigned and convicted alongside the vessel they used in committing the scandalous act- MT Anukt Emerald, and two companies – Monjasa DMCC, and Glencore Energy UK Ltd.
The convicts were citizens of Russia, Ukraine, Philippine and Japan respectively.
Justice Buba found convicts guilty of dealing in 1,738.087 metric tons of petroleum product in Nigeria without lawful authority or licence as alleged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
11 out of the 14 convicted foreigners bagged two years jail term with an option of N1 million fine on each of that five counts leveled against them. The sentence is to run concurrently from the last year March, when they were arrested by the Nigerian Navy and handed over to the anti-graft agency.
The judge however, sentenced the remaining three convicts who had jumped bail and absconded to five years imprisonment without an option of fine.
The three convicts who jumped bail are Russians.
The judge convicted and sentenced the three absconded Russians in absentia, while also issued a warrant for their arrest, emphasising that their jail term would commence on whatever day they were re-arrested.
The judge ordered the forfeiture of the petroleum products and the vessel into which they were loaded to the federal government.
He ordered the two companies convicted alongside with the foreigners to pay N5million fine on each of the five counts leveled against them. (Nigerian Pilot)