Lagos Court Jails Widow 5 Years For Unlawful Dealing In Petroleum Products

A widow, Fausat Jimoh, was today, convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment, for unlawful dealing in petroleum products by a Federal High Court, Lagos.

Justice Hadizat Rabiu-Shagari, convicted and sentenced the widow after being satisfied with the case of the prosecution against her.

Justice Rabiu-Shagari, after convicting the widow of two counts charge of conspiracy to unlawful dealing in petroleum products and illegal distribution, selling of the petroleum products which was said to be from vandalized pipeline made against her by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps  (NSCDC).

In convicting and sentencing the widow, Justice Rabiu-Shagari said the prosecution have been able to established prima-facie case against the defendant. Adding that all the evidences provided by the prosecution witnesses have linked the defendant to the crime.

Consequently, Justice Rabiu-Shagari pronounced the widow guilty as charged and sentenced her to five years imprisonment in both count one and two. The judge, however, ordered that the term of the sentence  are to run concurrently, while adding that the jail-term start to count from February 17, 2016.

NSCDC in a charge marked FHC/L/318c/13, alleged that the convict and Taiwo and Kehinde Lisa (now at large)  on August 31 2013, at Isheri-Olofin, Ogun State, conspired to and dealt in petroleum products without lawful authority.

The Corps, also accused the convict to of selling and distributing petroleum products, suspected to be from vandalised pipeline.

The offence according to the NSCDC are contrary to sections 3(6) and 1(17) and punishable under section 1(17) of the Miscellaneous Act, 2004.

The convict had please not guilty to the charges when she was first arraigned d before Justice Kurya, who has been transferred to another jurisdiction of the Court.

Following the transferred of Justice Kurya, the case was handed to Justice Rabiu-Shagari . During the trial of the, the prosecution called two witnesses while the convict only testified for herself.