Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of Federal High Court in Lagos has remanded two Chinese nationals in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services over accusation of dealing illegally in mineral resources.
Justice Aneke sent the foreigners, Zhang Hong Lin and Zhao Pei Hai, behind the bars after they were arraigned before him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a five-count charge of unlawful possession and exportation of mineral resources.
The prosecutor, Bilkisu Buhari-Bala had told the judge that the defendants and one Gao Pei Yu (who is currently at large) in 2025, in Lagos, with the intent to defraud the federal government of Nigeria, engaged in the exportation of mica products, copper-bearing minerals, and lithium-bearing mineral resources out of the country.
Buhari-Bala also maintained that the offences were contrary to Section 8 (a) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act of 1983 and punishable under Section 8 of the same Act.
However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge.
In light of their plea, the prosecutor urged the court to fix a trial date and remand the defendants in a correctional facility.
Counsel to the defendants requested that his clients be remanded in the EFCC’s custody pending the hearing of their bail application.
However, Justice Aneke rejected the application and ordered that the defendants be remanded in a correctional centre.
The judge then adjourned the case until July 4 for the commencement of trial.
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