The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, 21 November, 2017 arraigned nine foreigners, two Nigerians, for suspected oil theft.
The foreigners are: Mohammed Ejaz, Naseer Khan(Pakistanis), Oleksandr Nazarenko, Oleksandr kashernvi (Ukrainians), Romeo Annang, Francis Ahorlu, Kwesi Attah( Ghanaians), Victor Mikpayi (Beninois ), Fredrik Fatin Omenu (Indonesian), while their Nigerian acomplices are: Victor Azebiri and David Otuhohi.
They were arraigned alongside a company: Asztral Shipping Corporation SA, and a Vessel, MT. TECNE( a.k.a MT STAR), before Justice J.K Omotosho of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on a 4-count charge bordering on conspiracy, dealing in petroleum products without a licence and tampering with oil pipelines.
Count one of the charge reads: “that you Victor Azebiri, David Otuhohi, Mohammed Ejaz, Naseer Khan, Oleksandr Nazarenko, Oleksandr Kashernvi, Romeo Annang, Francis Ahorlu, Kwesi Attah, Victor Mikpayi, Frederik Fatin Omenu, Astral Shipping Corporation SA, MT TECNE a.k.a MT STAR (Vessel), Peter Ala (At large), David Ogoma a.k.a Ambassador (At large) and others now at large on or about the 20th and/or 25th day of April, 2017 at Escravos within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: distribute, deal in, or with petroleum product without appropriate licence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act CAP M17 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) Act 2007 and Punishable under Section 1(17) of the same Act”.
Another count charge reads: “that you Victor Azebiri, David Otuhohi, Mohammed Ejaz, Naseer Khan, Oleksandr Nazarenko, Oleksandr Kashernvi, Romeo Annang, Francis Ahorlu, Kwesi Attah, Victor Mikpayi, Frederik Fatin Omenu, Astral Shipping Corporation SA, MT TECNE a.k.a MT STAR (Vessel), Peter Ala (At large), David Ogoma a.k.a Ambassador (At large) and others now at large on or about the 25th day of April, 2017 at Escravos within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did without appropriate authority or licence distribute, deal in, or with petroleum product to wit:1905.836 cubic litres of CRUDE OIL conveyed in a vessel christened “MT TECNE” (VESSEL) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(17) (a) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act CAP M17 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) Act 2007 and Punishable under Section 1(17) of the same Act”.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them.
In view of their pleas, prosecution counsel, Ahmedu I. Arogha, asked the court for a trial date and pleaded that the defendants be remanded in prison custody. However, counsel to the 1st defendant, O. J. Irerhime, told the court that he had filed a bail application for his client and served same on the prosecution. He urged the court to grant his prayers. The counsel to the 2nd to the11th defendants, Abiye Atorudibo, also made same prayers for his clients. Arogha, however, opposed their prayers. He said he had filed a counter affidavit in responses to the two defence counsels’ applications.
Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter to 4 December, 2017 for ruling on bail applications and 18, 19 and 26 January for commencement of trial. He ordered the defendants to be remanded in prison custody pending the determination of their bail applications.
The suspected oil thieves ran into troubled waters when their ship was intercepted by the NNS DELTA on 25 April, 2017 Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Afremo ‘A’ Terminal, South East of Escravos in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, for illegal loading of petroleum products suspected to be crude oil. It was alleged that the crew members connived with Victor Azeberi (the 1st defendant); one Peter Ala and David Ogoma (AKA) Ambassador, who are now at large, to siphon about 1905.836 cubic litres of crude oil. The ship allegedly had no clearance from relevant Nigerian maritime agencies to navigate in Nigerian waters and all the foreign crew on board the ship had no valid documents to enter Nigeria.
