In one of the rare such cases of its kind, Yama Abass, Adeleke Adetoro, Olaniyi Tope and Beliya Abegunde, were sentenced by Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court in Lagos, for stealing 33, 000 litres of petrol worth N3.2m (£10,500). According to the prosecution, the four suspects alongside some persons still at large, reportedly conspired and damaged oil pipelines on July 13, last year.
During the operation, they stole 33,000 litres of premium motor spirit, otherwise known as petrol, belonging to the NNPC along the Epe-Ikorodu Road and were arrested while selling the products to some gas stations. Their alleged offence, according to the prosecution, contravened Sections 390 and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of the Federation, and Section 7(a) (b) of the Miscellaneous Offence Act, 2004.
However, the court discharged and acquitted one Alabi Olayinka, who was arraigned alongside the convicts in August, last year on the grounds that there was no evidence linking him to the crime. It is believed that Mr Olayinka would have a good case against the police if he sued them for unlawful arrest, detention and malicious prosecution.
Delivering judgment, Justice Abang ordered the petrol station that bought the stolen products from the convicts to return N3.2m to the federal government within seven days. Also, the court ordered the sale of the tanker used in conveying the stolen product by auction within 14 days of the judgment and the proceeds remitted to federal government.
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