On Tuesday, a businessman, Kingsley Ogala, was sentenced to twelve months in prison without the option of a fine for purchasing minerals without legal authority.
Following his guilty plea before the court, the convict was sentenced by Justice Muhammed Sani of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, charged Ogala and one Isah Musa with possessing 30 tonnes of minerals without lawful authority on three counts.
One of the charges reads,“That you, Isah Musa, and Kingsley Ogala sometime in September 2022, in Ilorin Kwara State, within the Judicial Division of the Federal High Court did conspire amongst yourselves to commit an offense to wit: without lawful authority, came into possession of 30 tons of mineral conveyed in the truck with Registration Number KNT482XA and thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offence Act 1983 and punishable under Section 1(8) (b) of the same Act”
On arraignment, Isah pleaded not guilty, while Ogala pleaded guilty.
Rashidat Alao, the anti-graft agency’s prosecutor, presented documents to prove the case and urged the court to convict the second defendant (Ogala) and set a trial date to prove its case against the first defendant (Isah)
In his decision, Justice Sani stated that the prosecution had proven its case against Ogala and that he had been convicted as charged.
The Judge sentenced him to six months in prison on counts one and three, to run concurrently. The court also ordered the Federal Government to forfeit the 30 tonnes of illegally purchased minerals.
In the case of Isah, who pleaded not guilty, the judge set March 15, 2023, as the start date for his trial.
