The Federal High Court in Ilorin, Kwara State, has convicted two individuals and fined a company for illegally processing and trading solid minerals in breach of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007.
The Punch reported that the convictions were announced by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in a statement shared on its official Facebook page on Thursday.
According to the EFCC, the convictions resulted from the successful prosecution of the defendants by its Ilorin Zonal Directorate.
The convicted persons, Samuel Sunday and Saheed Lawal Akanji, together with Akanji’s company, Saaskrona Nigeria Limited, were arraigned before Justice Abimbola Awogboro on separate charges of unlawfully dealing in and processing solid minerals without the required licences.
The commission explained that the prosecution followed credible intelligence suggesting that some individuals were illegally processing and trading solid minerals in parts of Kwara State without obtaining the necessary licences.
Acting on the intelligence, EFCC operatives conducted surveillance, which led to the arrest of the suspects at separate locations in Eiyenkorin, Ilorin.
Sunday was apprehended at his factory in the Olorunda area beside the Deeper Life Camp, while Akanji was arrested at his factory opposite Ojaja University along Passa Road.
“Their journey to jail followed credible intelligence received by the Commission, alleging that some individuals were illegally dealing in and processing solid minerals in Kwara State without the requisite licences,” the EFCC said.
The anti-graft agency said its investigation revealed that the defendants were unlawfully processing and trading several solid minerals, including Smithsonite, Calcite, Anhydrite, Tennantite and Quartz, in contravention of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007.
“Investigations revealed that the defendants were unlawfully dealing in and processing various solid minerals, including Smithsonite, Calcite, Anhydrite, Tennantite, and Quartz, without the licences required under the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007,” the commission stated.
The defendants pleaded guilty when the charges were read to them.
Following their guilty pleas, EFCC counsel, Rashidat Alao, reviewed the facts of the cases and presented documentary evidence, including the recovered minerals, which the court admitted as exhibits.
In his judgment, Justice Awogboro sentenced Sunday to 12 months’ imprisonment with an option of a N2 million fine.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of the 140 tonnes of mineral ore recovered from his factory to the Federal Government.
Akanji was also sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment with an option of a N1 million fine, while Saaskrona Nigeria Limited was ordered to pay a N1 million fine.
Additionally, the court directed that the 90 tonnes of minerals recovered from the company’s site be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
