Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin has convicted and sentenced two Chinese nationals – Yang Chao and Wu Shan Chuan to two years imprisonment for illegal mining of solid minerals in Kwara State.
The duo were convicted along with their company, Crius Chemical Nigeria Limited.
They were prosecuted on a one-count charge, bordering on dealing with illegal solid minerals mining.
The charge reads: “That you, Yang Chao, Wu Shan Chuan, and Crius Chemical Nigeria Limited, sometime in March 2024, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, engaged in dealing with minerals without lawful authority, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 134(b) of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007.”
They both pleaded guilty when the charge was read to them, following which EFCC counsel, Sesan Ola reviewed the facts of the case through a witness, an operative of the commission, who tendered the defendants’ extra-judicial statements, a report from the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency, and the defendants’ passports, all of which were admitted in evidence.
Satisfied that the prosecution has proven its case beyond reasonable doubts, Justice Awogboro found the defendants guilty, convicted and sentenced them to two years imprisonment each.
The judge however given the convicts the option of paying N1 million fine respectively which was also extended to the company.
In addition to their sentences, the convicts are to remit the sum of N14million in royalties to the federal government while all solid minerals found in the premises of the company, located at No. 1, Idi Ope Road, along Ogunmakin-Odede road, Omi, Ogun State were forfeited to the federal government.
