* Pix source: Peplnews.com
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos and preside over by Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo has sentenced three pipeline vandals to a total of 11 years imprisonment each.
The convicted pipeline vandals are: Yaya Musa, Sephiani Sani and Oluwole Atobatele.
The judge on Wednesday convicted and sentenced three vandals after the prosecution had successfully proved the three counts charged leveled against them.
The three vandals according to an amended charge marked FHC/L/3c/2011, had on December 19, 2010, were said to have at about 01.20 a.m., at Ogere area of Ogun State, conspired among themselves and tampered with petroleum pipeline.
They were also said to have unlawfully damaged the saidpetroleum pipeline and stole 33, 000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly called petrol, valued N2.145 million.
The offences according to the prosecutor, Justine Enang, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), of Anti-Pipeline Vandalization and Illegal Bunkering, of Zone 2, Command Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos, are contrary to and punishable under sections 516, 7(a) of and 390 of the Criminal Code Act Cap C38, and Miscellaneous Offences, Cap. M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2000.
The accused were first arraigned before the court sometimes in 2011 and pleaded not guilty to all the charges and they were all admitted to various bail terms.
However, the bail terms was revoked in 2014, when one of them jumped bail but were later rearraigned in 2011
During the trial of the case, the prosecutor had called three witnesses, who narrated in details the roles played by each of them and how the convicts were arrested. But the convicts did not call any witnesses.
Delivery judgement in the case, Justice Oguntoyinbo, said the prosecution has been able to proof it’s case beyond reasonable doubt against all the convicts.
Consequently, Justice Oguntoyinbo sentenced the convicts to four years, five years and two years in count one, two and three respective
The judge however ordered that the terms of the sentence to commence from November 4, 2014, when their bail was revoked
