Illegal Oil Dealer Sentenced In Imo

Ifeanyichukwu Williams, an Imo State illegal oil dealer, has been
sentenced to three years in prison.

He has been appearing before the Federal High Court in Owerri on a
two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and dealing in petroleum
product without appropriate license.

One of the charges read, "That you, Ifeanyichukwu Williams, on or
about the 8th day of April 2012 along Owerri-Onisha Road, Imo State,
within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court did without lawful
authority use a Volvo truck with registration number XN939FST to
illegally deal in petroleum product by conveying same in 42 drums and
thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(17) (a) of the
Miscellaneous Offence Act Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of
Nigeria) 2007 and punishable under Section 1(17)(a)(b) of the same
Act."

Men of the 34 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Owerri
arrested Ifeanyichukwu on April 8, 2012 along Owerri-Onisha Road, Imo
State, with a truck with registration number XN939FST, loaded with 42
drums of petroleum product without appropriate license.

He was subsequently handed over to Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) for prosecution.

He was first arraigned in 2012 and pleaded not guilty after the
charges were read to him.

At the resumed trial earlier this week, the accused pleaded guilty to
the charge. Justice Oguntoyinbo subsequently sentenced the accused to
three years imprisonment.

He ordered the convict to forfeit the petroleum product to the EFCC,
while the truck is released to him.

The sentence is to run concurrently from the date of his arrest.
- CAJ News