FG Asks Court not to Grant Alleged Terrorists, Oil Bunkerer Bail
Alex Enumah
The federal government has opposed the bail application of an alleged terrorist and oil bunkerer, Ugochukwu Lucky Ibekwe, who is standing trial at the Federal High Court, Abuja, for allegedly causing the death of over 500 persons, as well as economic sabotage.
Ibekwe also known as ‘Chief Onwa’, is also put on trial by the federal government for allegedly tampering with oil pipelines, siphoning crude oil and running illegal Refineries without appropriate licence.
He was also accused of committing felony by paying N2 million into the UBA Account No. 1006496099, belonging to one Oliver Amadi, a public officer, for the purpose of exonerating him from the alleged offences.
The federal government also accused him of receiving N1 million from one Musa Mohammed for permission to engage in illegal tapping of oil pipeline and also agreed to receive the sum N2 million weekly for subsequent operations.
At the proceedings before Justice Salim Ibrahim, the defendant’s counsel, Damian Okoro, SAN had applied for bail for his client on various grounds, claiming that the defendant is a Kidney transplant patient and that prima facie has not been established against him in the terrorism allegation especially the alleged death of 500 persons.
He therefore pleaded with the court to admit the defendant to bail to enable him attend to his health issues and be prepared for his defense in the charges against him.
Okoro assured the court that the defendant would not jump bail and would also not tamper with witnesses and evidence if admitted to bail.
The bail application was however vehemently opposed by the Director of the Public Prosecution of the Federation DPPF, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN on various grounds.
The senior lawyer argued that the charges against the defendant carries capital punishment ranging from death sentence to life imprisonment, and as such bail can only be granted on exceptional circumstances, adding that the defendant has not established such circumstances.
Meanwhile, Oyedepo dismissed the claim of kidney transplant patient, on the grounds that there was no acceptable medical records from the government hospital as required by law.
He drew the attention of the court to the claim of one Uzoma Randle to the effects that over 500 people have died through oil spillage and crude oil refineries of the accused person in various locations.
The federal government lawyer also raised the issue of security of witnesses that will testify against the defendant during trial that needed to be well protected.
He therefore pleaded with the judge to refuse the bail application and instead grant accelerated trial of the defendant.
After taking arguments for and against the bail request, Justice Salim Ibrahim fixed July 1 for ruling and commencement of trial of the accused person.
The defendant was in count one alleged to have sometime between 1999 to 2025, while at Imo River Community, Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State, conspired with one MR. TIMI, IGBO, ALOZYE, OBINNA COOK, DOZY, WILFRED, PRINCE ADEBAYO and others (all at large) “wherein you operates illegal refining sites, tampered with oil pipelines, siphoned crude oil, cooked and sale without appreciate licence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, CAP. M17 (Revised Edition), Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2007 and punishable under Section 1 (17)(a)(b) of the same Act”.
In count two, he was alleged to have knowingly running an organized criminal network syndicate involved in destroying and tampering with critical national infrastructure such as oil pipelines, operate illegal refining sites without appropriate licence, and caused the death of over 500 persons due to oil spillage.