Justice

Akin Kuponiyi

A Federal high court sitting in Lagos south west Nigeria has fixed 31st of October,2023, for the trial of a Limited liability company,JOKAPAT ADVANCED LOGISTICS & TRADE OPERATION CENTRE LIMITED of 22,Wharf Road Apapa Lagos State and seven other defendants, alleged to have stolen two containers containing disassembled steel Electricity transmission towers worth 100Milion.

In a four- count amended charge filed before Justice Abimbola Awogboro,by the two prosecuting counsel from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and minister of Justice,E.K Ugwu and O.O. Fakolujo, it was alleged:

“JOKAPAT ADVANED LOGISTICS & TRADE OPERATION CENTRE LIMITED, (The Managing Director of Jopakpat Advance Logistics & and trade centre Ltd) PATRICK OCHEME MICHAEL ASHIRU GBOLAHON SAMUEL,KAYODE OYEBANJI NURUDEEN ,OLANREWAJU ABIOLA, and VINCENT SAMMY (now at large), sometime in October, 2021, at 2nd Rainbow, along Mile 2, Oshodi Express Road, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court did conspire among themselves to commit a felony, to wit: stealing by diversion of two(2) x 20FT containers with Nos: MEDU 6336802 and MEDU 6513169, worth over one hundred million (N100M), each containing disassembled steel Electricity transmission towers for National Integrated Power Project (NIPP), Procured by the Federal Government of Nigeria and meant for Ikom and Obudu site in Cross River State.

Same being conveyed by a truck with Registration No. XLE-127-XA, to Owode Onirin, Mile 12, Kosofe Local Government Area, of Lagos State, where it was sold to some people and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 516 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap. C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (As Amended).

In count three of the criminal charge Mutiu Lawal (AKA ‘ARE’) ,Ahmed Olanrewaju Azeez(AKA: “OWOEGBE’) and others (at large), sometime in October, 2021, at Owode Onirin, Kosofe Local Government Area, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court,were alleged to have conspired amongst themselves and others (at large) to receive stolen property, namely:

Pieces and disassembled steel Electricity transmission towers for National Integrated power project (NIPP) contained in two(2)x 20FT containers with Nos. MEDU 6336802 and MEDU 6513169, worth over one hundred million naira (N100M) and meant for Ikom and Obudu site in Cross River State, same being conveyed by a truck with Registration No. XLE-127-XA, knowing the same to have been stolen and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 516 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap.C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (As Amended).