EFCC arraigns 3 Chinese over oil pipeline vandalisation

Details: Category: Law, Crime & Judiciary; Published on Wednesday, 30 March 2011 06:21; Written by Sun; Hits: 2596

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned three Chinese nationals, Guan Pin Mang, Tony Yang (Yang Zhaoye) and Lu Yundi before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Lagos on a four-count charge of allegedly vandalising the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC underground pipelines and storing 1,100 litres (one thousand, one hundred liters of premium motor spirit (PMS) without lawful authority or possessing the appropriate licence to do so.

However, the three accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge which was interpreted to them by another Chinese as they claimed they dd not understand English language.

Counsel to EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo thereafter asked the court to fix a date for the trial and asked the Court to remand the accused persons in prison custody. Attempt by the defence counsel, J. O. Ololo to move for bail was rejected by the presiding judge.. Ololo said he had filed a bail application which he said had been served to the prosecution counsel.
However, Justice Nyako said she was yet to receive the application as it was not before her.

The accused counsel also urged the court to grant the accused persons bail as they were already enjoying the administrative bail of the EFCC. Justice Nyako dismissed that on the grounds that the action of the EFCC was different from that of the court.
Nyako adjourned to March 30 for ruling on the bail application but ordered that the accused persons be remanded in prison custody.

Trouble began for the Chinese when they were arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps on January 13, 2011 for being in illegal possession and dealing in PMS at Road 20, Block 11, Diamond Estate, Isheri, Lagos. Items recovered from them include 4 kegs of 25 litres of PMS, four drums of 200 liters each of PMS, four kegs of 50 liters each of PMS, and two kegs of 50 liters each of PMS.
Part of the counts reads:

“That you, Guan Pin Mang, Tony Yang (Yang Zhaoye) and Lu Yundi on or about the 13th day of January 2011 at Road 20, Block 11 Diamond Estate, Isheri Lagos within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court conspired to do an act for which a licence is required under the Petroleum Act contrary to Section 19(3) (6) and punishable under Section 17 (b) of the miscellaneous offences act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
“That you, Guan Pin Mang, Tony Yang (Yang Zhaoye) and Lu Yundi on or about the 13th day of January 2011 at Road 20, Block 11 Diamond Estate, Isheri Lagos within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court did store 1,100 liters (one thousand, one hundred liters) of premium motor spirit(PMS) without lawful authority or appropriate licence contrary to section 17 of the Miscellaneous offences Act, cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”