Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday convicted and sentenced two businessmen, Ifeuwa Christ and Ayogu James, to two years imprisonment for unlawfully Importing 1570 pump action rifles into Nigeria.
Justice Lewis-Allagoa jailed the convicts after they entered into a bargaining agreement between the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and their counsel, Yakubu Galadima.
The convicts and their company, Great James Oil and Gas Limited, were first arraigned before Justice Salisu Saidu (now retired) sometime in 2018 on an eight-charge of conspiracy, unlawful importation of the 1,570 pump action rifles, forgery and altering of customs’ import documents.
The prosecutor, Julius Ajakaiye (now late) had told the judge that the offences are contrary to and punishable under Section 3(6), 1(14)(a), 1(14)(a)(i), 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap. M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
At the time, they pleaded not guilty to the charge and the judge ordered that they should be remanded in prison custody because the charges against them bothered ‘national security’.
However, upon the retirement of Justice Saidu, the matter was reassigned to Justice Mohammed Liman, now sitting in another jurisdiction of the court.
After Justice Liman was transferred the convicts’ case file was reassigned to Justice Lewis-Allagoa, who started the matter afresh.
Upon re-arraignment before Justice Lewis-Allagoa, the convicts signified their intentions to change their plea to guilty as a charge.
Based on the development, the defence lawyer, Galadima, informed the court that his clients and the prosecution, Ministry of Justice, have reached a plea bargain agreement.
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