The Federal High Court in Ilorin, Kwara State, has found two people guilty and fined a company for illegal mining. They broke the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act of 2007.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) shared the details of the convictions in a statement on its official Facebook page on Thursday.
The EFCC said the judgment came after the successful prosecution of the defendants by its Ilorin Zonal Directorate.
The convicts, Samuel Sunday and Saheed Lawal Akanji, were taken to court along with his company, Saaskrona Nigeria Limited. They faced separate charges for dealing in and processing solid minerals without the necessary licenses.
The EFCC noted that the case began after receiving reliable information. This information showed that some individuals were illegally processing and selling solid minerals in parts of Kwara State without proper licenses.
EFCC operatives conducted surveillance based on this information. This led to the arrest of the suspects at different locations in Eiyenkorin, Ilorin.
Sunday was arrested at his factory in the Olorunda area, near Deeper Life Camp. Akanji was caught at his factory across from 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 necessary licenses," the EFCC stated.
The agency added that investigations proved the defendants were unlawfully processing and dealing in various solid minerals. These included Smithsonite, Calcite, Anhydrite, Tennantite, and Quartz, which is against the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act of 2007.
"Investigations revealed that the defendants were unlawfully dealing in and processing various solid minerals, including Smithsonite, Calcite, Anhydrite, Tennantite, and Quartz, without the licenses required under the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007," the EFCC said.
Both defendants pleaded guilty to the charges when they appeared in court.
After their guilty pleas, EFCC lawyer Rashidat Alao presented the facts of the cases and submitted documents. This included the minerals seized during the investigation, which the court accepted as evidence.
When delivering the judgment, Justice Awogboro sentenced Sunday to 12 months in prison. He also had an option to pay a N2 million fine.
The judge ordered that the 140 tonnes of mineral ore found at Sunday’s site be given to the Federal Government.
Akanji received the same 12-month prison sentence, with a N1 million fine option. Saaskrona Nigeria Limited was also fined N1 million.
The court instructed that the 90 tonnes of minerals found at the company’s site be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
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