By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
Justice Ambrose Lewis Allagoa of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, on Wednesday, sentenced two defendants, Moses Ifeuwa and Festus Emeka, to two years imprisonment, over illegal importation of firearms.
The defendants were charged alongside a company Great James Oil and Gas Ltd.
The fate of the company Great James Oil and Gas Limited will be determined on June 7 by the court.
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 another judge , Justice Ambrose Allagoa.
The defendants were consequently, re-arraigned in 2021 before Justice Allagoa on an eight counts charge bordering on illegal importation of firearms and they had each pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecution then opened its case and began trial, but the defendants subsequently, opted for a plea bargain with the office of the Attorney General.
The court had consequently, convicted the defendants but adjourned to Wednesday April 24 for sentence.
When the case was called on Wednesday, Mrs Aderonke Imana announced appearance for the prosecution, Mr Alpheus Ifeanyi appeared for the first defendant and Mr Yakubu Galadima appeared for the second defendant.
Before sentence, second defence counsel informed the court that the defendants had been in custody for about three years before bail and prayed the court to take the fact into consideration.
Delivering judgement afterwards the court gave effect to the plea bargain agreement reached between the prosecution and defence.
The court held that in such situation, the court is to take into consideration the provisions of the ACJA, and should not impose the maximum sentence on the defendants, or impose consecutive sentence.
The court consequently held:
“The defendants are sentenced to two years imprisonment, or an option of N1 million fine on each of the counts .
“The sentence shall run concurrently,” he said
This means that the convicts are to either spend two years in prison or pay the sum of N1 million on each of the eight counts, making it N8 million.
According to the charge, the defendants were alleged to have conspired among themselves to unlawfully import a total of 1,570 pump action rifles into Nigeria.
They were also alleged to have loaded the said rifles in two 1× 20 feet containers as well as forged a bill of lading .
The offence contravenes the provisions of Section 1(14)(a), 1(14)(a)(i), 1(2)(c) and 3(6), of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap. M17, Law of the Federation 2004.
