By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
Justice Ayokunle Faji of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos Nigeria has fixed July 15, 2020 for the hearing of bail applications of ten suspected pirates and immediate commencement of their trial over alleged hijacking of a fishing vessel.
The ten pirates were ordered by the judge to be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Navy, which brought them to court amidst heavy security for arraignment for the alleged offence.
The office of the Attorney General of the Federation filed a three counts charge against them.
According to the charge, the ten pirates (defendants), resident in Nigeria whose names are Frank Abaka, Jude Ebaragha, Shina Alolo, Joshua Iwiki, David Akinseye, Ahmed Toyin, Shobajo Saheed, Adekole Philip, Matthew Masi and Bright Agbedeyi allegedly hijacked a fishing vessel, named FV Hai Lu Feng II, belonging to Haina Fishing Company.
The prosecutor Laraban Magaji from the office of the AGF, told the court that the defendants “while armed with weapons, committed an illegal act of violence against the crew on board FV Hai Lu Feng II, a fishing vessel belonging to Haina Fishery Company, by putting them in fear in order to take control of the vessel.”
Laraban Magaji, submitted that the defendants committed the offence in May 2020 on the international water at Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, thereby violating Section 3 of Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences Act 2019 and liable to punishment under Section 2 of the same Act.
After hearing the charge preferred against them, the defendants pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
Count one of the charge reads: “That you Frank Abaka, Jude Ebaragha, Shina Alolo, Joshua Iwiki, David Akinseye, Ahmed Toyin, Shobajo Saheed, Adekole Philip, Matthew Masi, Bright Agbedeyi and others at large, all males, adults and of various addresses in Nigeria, sometimes in May 2020, at Lagos, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, conspired amongst yourselves to commit an act of piracy by agreeing to hijack HAI Lu FENG 11, a fishing vessel belonging to Haina Fishery company. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 10 of Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences Act 2019, and punishable under Section 12 of the same Act.”
