By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
Justice Ambrose Lewis Allagoa of a Federal High Court sitting Lagos, on Wednesday, struck out a charge against an Oil company, Great James Oil and Gas Ltd, charged with alleged importation of 1,570 firearms.
Justice Allagoa struck out the charge upon a notice of discontinuance filed by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
The court had on April 24, sentenced two co-defendants in the charge, a shipper, Moses Ifeuwa and a clearing agent, Festus Emeka to two years imprisonment each.
The defendants were charged alongside the Oil firm Great James Oil & Gas Ltd, on an 8 counts charge bordering on conspiracy, illegal importation of firearms, forgery and alteration of custom import papers .
They were first arraigned in 2018 before Justice Saliu Saidu and trial had commenced but along the line, Justice Saidu retired from the bench and the case was re-assigned to Justice Allagoa.
The defendants were consequently, re-arraigned in 2021 before Justice Allagoa and they had each pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecution then opened its case and began trial, but subsequently, the defendants opted for a plea bargain with the office of the AGF
Due to the plea bargain arrangement, the two defendants then changed their pleas from not guilty to guilty and the court had consequently, convicted them as charged.
In his judgement on April 24, the court relied on relevant provisions of the ACJA with regards to plea bargain, and consequently, sentenced the convicts to a term of two years imprisonment each .
The court had however, given the convicts an option of one million naira fine on each of the 8 counts totaling N8 million.
When the case was called on Wednesday for continuation of trial of Great James Oil & Gas Ltd, Mr Joshua Alma announced appearance for the prosecution.
He then informed the court of an application seeking to discontinue proceedings against the first defendant Great James Oil and Gas Ltd.
He submitted that the application was brought pursuant to the provisions of Section 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.
He prayed the court to grant the application as moved
Justice Allagoa instantly granted the application and consequently, struck out the charge against the company.
Recall that the criminal charge bordered on conspiracy, illegal importation of firearms, forgery as well as alteration of custom import papers.