A Federal High Court siting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has convicted sentenced Beleme Wokoma to eight years imprisonment for illegally dealing in petroleum products.Wokoma was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on March 3 and pleaded “guilty” to a one-count charge bordering on illegal dealing in petroleum products.
“That you, Belema Wokoma, on or about the 8th day of September 2019 at Borikiri, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court without appreciating license dealt in petroleum product to wit Automotive Gas Oil conveyed in a Toyota Camry with Registration Number AY 369 USL,” his charge reads.EFCC said the counsel to the defendant, C. S. Okeke, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, “for he is a first-time offender and has no previous criminal records”.
Justice Omotosho convicted and sentenced the defendant to eight years imprisonment with an option of a fine of One Hundred Thousand Naira . The Toyota Camry car involved in the crime is be forfeited to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Court ordered its auctioning and the proceeds paid into the TSA account of the government.
Quite unfortunate this commission has been reduced to chasing frogs and toads in the murky gutters looking for village party and black market petrol dealers but original financial criminals left untouched....hope the labour of the heroes past are not in vain.......