3 Indians Each Bag 15 Years Jail Term In Nigeria For Oil Theft

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines Wednesday, May 14th, 2014

Three Indians nationals, Sailesh Kumar Singh, (the Captain of the vessel), Chadrashekar Sharma and Ajay Bhatiya have bagged 15 Years Jail Term each for Illegal Bunkering.

3 out of the 13 Indians nabbed over oil theft in Nigeria

2 of the 13 Indians nabbed over oil theft in Nigeria

A Federal High Court sitting in Yenegoa, Balyesa State convicted three accused persons including the owner of the vessel MT Akshay, who is still at large to fifteen years imprisonment for offenses that borders on oil theft.

According to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren the convicts were among twelve suspected oil thieves, including eight other Indians, one Ghanaian and a Nigerian arrested aboard MT Akshay by men of the Joint Task Force, Central Naval Command, Yenegoa sometimes in November, 2012.

Wilson in a statement said the culprits were later handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for further investigation and prosecution.

He added that they were arraigned on a 2-count charge on January 22, 2013 before Justice Lambo Akanbi.

After diligent prosecution, the court found the first and the two accused persons alongside the owner of the vessel (who is still at large) guilty on count one which borders on conspiracy and convicted them accordingly.

The accused persons who were discharged and acquitted on two counts preferred against them by the EFCC include: Dharmaraj Kumar, Ajay Kumar, Nimesh Parambil and Ashraf Ali.

Others include: Sanjeev Kumar, Sarbjot Singh, Arvind Bhardwaj, Gagan Kumar, Dele Olayemi and Benneth Egbegi – .

However, the court was silent on the vessel, and it’s content.

Count one of the charges against them reads, “that you Sailesh Kumar Singh, Chadrashekar Sharma, Dharmaraj Kumar, Ajay Kumar, Nimesh Kodi Parambil, Ashraf,Ali, Sanjeev Kumar, Sarbjot Singh, Arvind Kumar Bhaedwaj, Gagan Kumar, Dele Johnson Olayemi and Benneth Egbegi being crew members in MT Akshay with Ajay Bhatiya (now at large) on or about the 25th day of November, 2012 in Brass, Bayelsa State within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit dealing in Petroleum Product and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act CAP M17 of the Revised Edition(Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 and punishable under Section 1(17) of the same Act.

Count two reads, “that Sailesh Kumar Singh, Chadrashekar Sharma, Dharmaraj Kumar, Ajay Kumar, nimesh Kodi Parambil, Ashraf Ali, Sanjeev Kumar, Sarbjot Singh, Arvind Kumar Bhaedwaj, Gagan Kumar, Dele Johnson Olayemi and Benneth Egbegi being crew members in MT Akshay with Ajay Bhatiya (now at large) on or about the 25th day of November, 2012 in Brass, Bayelsa State within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did without authority deal in 157,822 litres of Crude Oil bunkere from dAuntie the Matriach Julie Rig of Conoil Nigeria Plc into MT Akshay and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(17)(a) of the Miscellaneous Offence Act CAP M17 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 and punishment under Section 1(17) of the same Act”.