No fewer than 41 men were arraigned at the Federal High Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday, over activities that bordered on illegal mining.
The defendants were arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and illegal mining before Justice Uche Agomoh by the Federal Government through the Nigeria Police.
The Police prosecuting counsel, Mr Michael Ojeah, told the court that the 41 defendants, on January 25, at Onipanu Village in the Ibadan Judicial Division, conspired with one another to commit a felony to wit: unlawful mining.
Ojeah further said the defendants, without lawful authority, mined and concealed 24.96 grams of gold ore, valued at N1,248,000, extracted from an illegal mine site at Onipanu Village, Ilaju in Ibadan, noting that under count one, the defendants violated section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, vol. 11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria. 2004
Undercount two, he said the defendants committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 8(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Volume.9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.2004.
All the 41 defendants pleaded guilty to the charge.
Ojeah subsequently informed the court that he was prepared to present the facts of the case since the defendants had pleaded guilty.
Inspector Awosanmi Abiola, who led a team of security operatives that arrested the defendants, testified before Justice Agomoh on the facts of the case.
Abiola tendered statements of five principal witnesses and statements of the 41 defendants recorded after the arrest.
Justice Agomoh admitted all the statements tendered and were marked as exhibits 1 – 46, as the defendants’ counsel, Mr Suraji Musa did not object.
Musa, however, prayed to the court for a short adjournment for the continuation of the case review which Justice Agomoh granted and adjourned until March 11, for the continuation of the prosecution’s review of the case.
Dominica Nwabufo
