Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, has sentenced a 50-year-old truck driver, Kasimu Bawa, to two years imprisonment for unlawful possession and transportation of illegally mined minerals valued at about N2.4m.
Bawa, a native of Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State, was convicted following his prosecution by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The EFCC disclosed that the convict was arrested on September 9, 2022, at Share along Tsaragi Road in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State while transporting 25 tons of suspected illegally mined minerals in a DAF truck.
According to the anti-graft agency, the minerals were estimated to be worth N2.498m.
The commission stated that the truck used for the operation was allegedly linked to a Chinese national, identified as Gang Deng, who had earlier been convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment by the same court in October 2022 for illegal dealings in minerals.
Bawa was later arraigned before the court on November 1, 2022, on a one-count charge bordering on unlawful possession of minerals without lawful authority.
The charge accused him of possessing and conveying the minerals without the required licence, contrary to the provisions of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, 1984.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge, leading to a full trial.
During the proceedings, the prosecution presented two witnesses, including a Chief Remote Sensing Officer of the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, Ifarinde Odeyemi, as well as the investigating officer in the case.
The defence also called two witnesses, including the defendant, in an attempt to challenge the allegations.
After reviewing the evidence before the court, Justice Awogboro found the defendant guilty and sentenced him to two years imprisonment.