Court jails two, fines company for illegal mining in Kwara

The Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, has convicted and sentenced two individuals and imposed a fine on a company for engaging in illegal mining activities in violation of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission disclosed the convictions in a statement posted on its official Facebook page on Thursday.

The EFCC stated that the judgment followed the successful prosecution of the defendants by its Ilorin Zonal Directorate.

The convicts, Samuel Sunday and Saheed Lawal Akanji, alongside his company, Saaskrona Nigeria Limited, were arraigned before Justice Abimbola Awogboro on separate charges bordering on unlawful dealing in and processing of solid minerals without the requisite licences.

According to the EFCC, the prosecution stemmed from credible intelligence indicating that some individuals were illegally processing and trading in solid minerals in parts of Kwara State without obtaining the licences required under the law.

The commission said its operatives carried out surveillance based on the intelligence, leading to the arrest of the suspects at separate locations in Eiyenkorin, Ilorin.

It stated that Sunday was arrested at his factory located in the Olorunda area, beside Deeper Life Camp, while Akanji was apprehended at his factory opposite Ojaja University along Passa Road.

“Their journey to jail followed credible intelligence received by the Commission, alleging that some individuals were illegally dealing in and processing solid minerals in Kwara State without the requisite licences,” the EFCC said.

The anti-graft agency said investigations established that the defendants were unlawfully processing and dealing in various solid minerals, including Smithsonite, Calcite, Anhydrite, Tennantite and Quartz, contrary to the provisions of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007.

“Investigations revealed that the defendants were unlawfully dealing in and processing various solid minerals, including Smithsonite, Calcite, Anhydrite, Tennantite, and Quartz, without the licences required under the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007,” the commission stated.

The defendants pleaded guilty to the charges when they were arraigned before the court.

Following their guilty pleas, counsel for the EFCC, Rashidat Alao, reviewed the facts of the cases and tendered documentary exhibits, including the minerals recovered during the investigation, which were admitted in evidence by the court.

Delivering judgment, Justice Awogboro sentenced Sunday to 12 months’ imprisonment with an option of a N2m fine.

The judge also ordered the forfeiture of the 140 tonnes of mineral ore recovered from Sunday’s site to the Federal Government.

Akanji was equally sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment with an option of a N1m fine, while Saaskrona Nigeria Limited was ordered to pay a N1m fine.

The court also ordered the forfeiture of the 90 tonnes of minerals recovered from the company’s site to the Federal Government of Nigeria.