Breaking News
Court Convicts A 50-Year Old Truck Driver Jailed For Illegal Mining In Kwara
Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the conviction of a 50-year-old truck driver, Kasimu Bawa, from Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State, for unlawful possession of minerals valued at N2.4 million.
Bawa was sentenced to two years imprisonment by Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin after he was found guilty of the charge preferred against him by the EFCC.
The convict was the driver of a truck used in conveying minerals allegedly purchased without a licence by a Chinese national, Gang Deng, who was earlier convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment on October 19, 2022 by the same court.
The convict was arrested by operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC on September 9, 2022, at Share, along Tsaragi Road in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, while transporting 25 tons of suspected illegally mined minerals valued at N2.4 million.
He was subsequently arraigned on November 1, 2022, by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Commission on a one-count charge bordering on possession of minerals without lawful authority.
Bawa’s charge sheet read; “That you, Kasimu Bawa, sometime in the month of September 2022, at Share, along Tsaragi Road, in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, without lawful authority, came into possession of minerals, to wit: 25 tons of minerals worth the sum of N2.498m conveyed in a DAF truck with Registration Number KEY 777ZF and Chassis Number KLRAD85XCOE603462, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1(8)(b)(i) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, 1984.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him, prompting a full trial.
During the proceedings, the prosecution called two witnesses, including a Chief Remote Sensing Officer (CRSO) of the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA), Ifarinde Odeyemi, and the investigating officer. The defence also presented two witnesses, including the defendant.
Odeyemi told the court that laboratory analysis conducted on the seized minerals confirmed them to be lepidolite, a lithium-bearing mineral.
In his final written address, the prosecuting counsel, Innocent Mbachie, urged the court to convict the defendant, having proved the case beyond reasonable doubt.
He also requested the forfeiture of the truck and minerals to the Federal Government.
Delivering judgment, Justice Awogboro, found Bawa guilty and sentenced him to two years imprisonment with an option of N5 million fine.
The court further ordered the forfeiture of the truck and the minerals to the Federal Government.
n Kwara
Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the conviction of a 50-year-old truck driver, Kasimu Bawa, from Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State, for unlawful possession of minerals valued at N2.4 million.
Bawa was sentenced to two years imprisonment by Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin after he was found guilty of the charge preferred against him by the EFCC.
The convict was the driver of a truck used in conveying minerals allegedly purchased without a licence by a Chinese national, Gang Deng, who was earlier convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment on October 19, 2022 by the same court.
The convict was arrested by operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC on September 9, 2022, at Share, along Tsaragi Road in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, while transporting 25 tons of suspected illegally mined minerals valued at N2.4 million.
He was subsequently arraigned on November 1, 2022, by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Commission on a one-count charge bordering on possession of minerals without lawful authority.
Bawa’s charge sheet read; “That you, Kasimu Bawa, sometime in the month of September 2022, at Share, along Tsaragi Road, in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, without lawful authority, came into possession of minerals, to wit: 25 tons of minerals worth the sum of N2.498m conveyed in a DAF truck with Registration Number KEY 777ZF and Chassis Number KLRAD85XCOE603462, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1(8)(b)(i) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, 1984.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him, prompting a full trial.
During the proceedings, the prosecution called two witnesses, including a Chief Remote Sensing Officer (CRSO) of the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA), Ifarinde Odeyemi, and the investigating officer. The defence also presented two witnesses, including the defendant.
Odeyemi told the court that laboratory analysis conducted on the seized minerals confirmed them to be lepidolite, a lithium-bearing mineral.
In his final written address, the prosecuting counsel, Innocent Mbachie, urged the court to convict the defendant, having proved the case beyond reasonable doubt.
He also requested the forfeiture of the truck and minerals to the Federal Government.
Delivering judgment, Justice Awogboro, found Bawa guilty and sentenced him to two years imprisonment with an option of N5 million fine.
The court further ordered the forfeiture of the truck and the minerals to the Federal Government.
Breaking News
English Alhaji Raises Alarm, ‘My Life In Danger’ After Receiving Calls From Bandits [VIDEO]
DAILY POST recalls that English Alhaji had a week ago commended the youth of Achepe community in Nasarawa State for repelling bandits’ attack.
While faulting the youth for handing over some captured bandits to the military, English Alhaji said “Only mistake wey this people do, this youth of Achepe catch this people finish and handed them over to the military.
“Why? Why? Do you want the army to reintegrate them? Abi the once they integrate never do una? You want them to integrate more of the terrorist? Why handling them over to the military? Unalive this boys. You don catch them and collected the AK-47 rifle from them, kpai them. Why giving them to the police again? Youth of Achepe, una no do well for that one oo.”
However, in a now trending video on his Instagram page, English Alhaji, who stated that his life is in danger, shared a recorded WhatsApp video call he received from bandits threatening him for advising Nigerians to kill them.
“Nigerians, so yesterday in the afternoon bandits called me on a video call. You can see the confidence, you guys are no longer hiding. They no longer cover their face, they’re everywhere. They got my WhatsApp number on my Facebook page. They turned their camera to show me ammunition. Na now I know the kind danger wey I dey.
“They said why do I tell people to be killing them. One of them said this thing wey I dey tell people to unalive them when they catch them, don’t hand them over to the military, kpai them. They said what if they catch me, they will do that same thing to me”, he said.
Watch the full video
Breaking News
Xenophoba: Not Only South Africa But Also Many Other Countries Treat Nigerians Harsely
The host of Brekete Family, a Human Rights Radio and Television programme, Ahmed Isah, popularly known as “Ordinary President,” has revealed how the world treats Nigerians differently amid the ongoing Xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
Speaking on the Brekete Family programme on Tuesday, Ordinary President also pointed out how Nigeria gave asylum to South African freedom fighters.
Recall that South Africans have killed a handful of Nigerian, Ghanaian, and other African nationals in the recent xenophobic attacks.
Reacting to the development, Ordinary President said, “See what they are doing to Nigerians in South Africa.
“Other nationals from other countries like Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Tanzania, even countries that share common boundaries with them [South Africa]. They are humiliating them.
“Let it not be like they are singling out only Nigerians; that is why they are doing it to other African countries.
“See the approach to other nationals and the approach to Nigerians; you can see the anger and bitterness. The same South Africa that we contributed money to, so that they could regain their freedom.
“South Africans were coming to Nigeria to school on scholarship, their freedom fighters who narrowly escaped will come to Nigeria, and we will give them asylum.
“But Nigerians, let me let you people know, it’s not only South Africa, but almost every country around the world is doing something to Nigerians that they can’t do to other nationals.
“If you go to Canada, go to their prison and check which nationals are more. If you go to India, go to their prison and check, and go to other countries. Nobody seems to be bothered because of the ineffective leadership we have in this country [Nigeria],” he said.
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