The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned an Indian, Rahul Pathania, and a vessel, M.V. Bount, before Justice Rilwan M. Aikawa of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, for illegal petrol products deal.
They were arraigned on three-count charge after Pathania was arrested alongside the vessel by the Nigerian Navy and subsequently handed over to the Commission.
One of the counts read: “That you, M.V.Bount and Rahul Pathania, on the 31st day of January 2020, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, conspired among yourselves to commit an offence to wit: dealing in 45 metric tons of petroleum product without appropriate licence and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, and punishable under Section 1(7) of the same Act.”
The defendant pleaded guilty to the first count of conspiracy but not guilty to other counts.
The prosecution counsel, Usman Buhari, therefore asked the court for a trial date and requested that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS).
Justice Aikawa adjourned the matter to October 7, 2020, for commencement of trial and also ordered that the defendant be remanded in NCS.
