Three Pipeline Vandals Jailed 11 Years Each

Ladipo Sanusi

Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo of a Federal High Court, Lagos, has sentenced three pipeline vandals, Yaya Musa, Sephiani Sani and Oluwole Atobatele, to a total of 11 years imprisonment each.

The judge gave the ruling, on Wednesday, after the prosecution had successfully proved the three counts charge leveled against the accused persons.

The three, according to an amended charge marked: FHC/L/3c/2011, on December 19, 2010, around 1.20 am, at Ogere area of Ogun State, conspired among themselves and tampered with petroleum pipeline.

They were accused of unlawfully damaging the said pipeline and stealing 33, 000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly called petrol, valued at N2.145 million.

The offences, according to the prosecutor, Justine Enang, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, attached to the Anti-Pipeline Vandalization and Illegal Bunkering unit, of Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, Lagos, are contrary to and punishable under sections 516, 7(a) of and 390 of the Criminal Code Act Cap C38, and Miscellanous Offences, Cap. M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

They were first arraigned before the court in 2011, when they pleaded not guilty to all the charges and were admitted to bail under various terms.

However, the bail was revoked in 2014, when one of them was said to have jumped bail. They were later rearraigned in 2015.

During trial, the prosecutor called three witnesses, who narrated in details the roles played by each of the accused persons in the commission of the crime.

While delivering judgement, Justice Oguntoyinbo said the prosecution had been able to prove it’s case beyond reasonable doubt against all the accused persons.

Consequently, the judge sentenced each of them to four years, five years and two years for counts one, two and three respectively.

The judge, however, ordered that the terms of the sentence should commence from November 4, 2014, when their bail was revoked.

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