by crossriverwatch admin
The Federal High Court sitting in Calabar and presided over by His Lordship, Justice Emmanuel Obile has ordered the remand of eight accused persons in Afokang prison for their alleged involvement in illegal oil deals along the Calabar Channel.
The eight accused persons including Patrick Edet, Asuquo Etina, Okon Umoh and others are accused of involvement in illegal oil bunkering business and were arraigned before Justice Emmanuel Obile yesterday on a two count charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC.
Lead counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ferdinand Dibang insisted that the accused persons have committed economic crimes and felony which violates section 3 sub-section 6 of the miscellaneous offense act.
A drama ensued in the court when only one of the accused, Patrick Edet said he could understand English language. It took the effort of the defense counsel, Etim Inyang for the accused persons to agree to speak Pidgin English after the prosecution counsel had pleaded with the court to get an interpreter who could interpret their charges to them.
All the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges but effort by their counsel to get their bail was rejected by the court. The Judge declined the oral bail application and asked the defense counsel to make a written application for bail and ordered the accused persons to be remanded in prison custody till February 4 2013.
However, the defense counsel told crossriverwatch that the refusal of bail to his clients and their subsequent remand in prison is an ambush by the prosecution counsel.
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One commentOn EFCC Vs Oil Thieves: Federal High Court Docks 8 in Calabar Prison
…So it is possible to get such accelerated hearing on oil thievery?…what then has become of the case of oil subsidy thieves? …There was a country!!!