According to the EFCC lawyer, they illegally dealt in 1,738.087 metric tons of petroleum product; 1,500 metric tons of automotive gas oil aboard MT Anukret Emerald’s cargo tank and 3,035 metric tons of low pour fuel oil, LPFO, aboard the same cargo on March 27, Vanguard reports.
Fourteen foreign nationals arraigned for oil bunkering Photo credit: LIB
The names of the men who are from Russia, Ukraine, Japan and the United Kingdom were given as; Artur Pakhladzhian, Sergo Abbgarian, Vasily Shkundich, Vitaliy Bilours, Hlarion Regipor, Laguta Oleksiy, Cadavis Gerarado, Kretov Andry, Badurian Benjamin, Chepikov Olksan, Naranjo Antero, Patro Christian, Alcayde Joel and Caratiquit Beyan.
They however, pleaded not guilty after their charges were read to them and their lawyer paryed the court to grant them bail on the ground of self-recognition and on liberal terms.
They were arraigned before a Federal high court in Lagos
In his ruling, Justice Ibrahim Buba granted the accused bail in the sum of N50 million each, with one surety in like sum, while the surety must be a resident of Lagos.
The court also ordered that the accused be remanded in prison, pending compliance with the bail conditions while the case was adjourned to June 17, 18 and 19 for trial.
Illegal oil bunkering is one of the perennial problems of Nigeria. In recent years, this crime has grown in leaps and bounds because not much effort has put in by successive administrations to address the problem.
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