A Federal High Court in Ilorin has convicted and sentenced a truck driver, Olamilekan Basit to a one year imprisonment for engaging in illegal mining operations without lawful authorisation in Kwara state.
Basit was sentenced by Justice Abimbola Awogboro after he was found guilty of possessing the solid minerals without obtaining the necessary license from the appropriate regulatory authorities.
His journey to prison began when he was arrested in Balla, Asa Local Government Area of the state for unlawfully transporting 30 tons of assorted solid minerals without proper authorization.
Basit conviction and sentencing followed his arraignment by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
The charge against the truck driver reads: “That you, Olamilekan Basit on or about the 11th Day of June 2024. at Balla, ASA Local Government Area of Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without lawful authority, came into possession of minerals to wit: Thirty tons of minerals, conveyed in a Truck, with offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 134 (b) of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007”
Also convicted and sentenced by the judge is a 25-year-old professional photographer, Oyerinde Sodiq, who bagged three hundred hours community service at five hours per day for offences that border on internet fraud.
That of Sodiq reads: “That you, Oyerinde Gbolahan Sodiq, on or about the the 6th day of August 2024 to 17th February 2025 in Ilorin, Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated one Vickie Mary with intent to gain advantage for yourself from I’ve Canner, whom you chatted with via your telegram Account number +12136826219, and did gain $550; you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 22 (2) (I) of the cybercrime (prohibition prevention,Etc.) Act 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b)(IV) of the same Act”
They all pleaded “guilty” to their charges, following which prosecution counsel, Rashidat Alao and Mustapha Kaigama reviewed the facts of the cases by calling witnesses who narrated the circumstances that led to their arrests, tendered exhibits recovered from them and urged the court to consider the facts of the cases and convict and sentence the defendants as charged.
Consequently, the judge sentenced Basit to one year imprisonment or to pay a N1million fine and was ordered to pay the sum of N5million as royalty to the federal government.
Meanwhile, Sodiq bagged a 300 hours of community service at five hours per day without an option of fine.
In addition, he forfeited the sum of $300 being part of the proceeds of his crime and his iPhone 12 Promax being the tool of his crime to the federal government.
He was also ordered to pay $200 being the remainder of the proceeds of his crime or spend two months in prison after the completion of his community service.
