Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin on Wednesday, May 15, 2024 convicted and sentenced two Chinese men; Duan Ya Hong and Xiao Yi to one year imprisonment for offences bordering on illegal mining and possession of solid minerals without requisite licences.
The duo were arraigned on Monday, April 22, 2024 alongside their company, Ebuy Concept Limited on one-count charge bordering on illegal mining, specifically, the purchasing of 30 tons of minerals conveyed in a Truck, without lawful authority.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail in the sum of N5 million naira with two sureties each in like sum, and were remanded in the custody of the EFCC pending the perfection of their bail conditions.
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At the resumed sitting on Wednesday, counsel to the EFCC, Innocent Mbachie, reviewed the facts of the case and tendered in evidence the extrajudicial statements of the defendants, photographs of the defendants, samples of the minerals, photographs of the truck and the forensic report received from the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency on the analysis of the minerals.
Delivering judgement, Justice Anyadike held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and pronounced them guilty as charged, while ordering the interim forfeiture of 30 tons of minerals and the truck conveying the cargo.
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