The Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday granted bail in the sum of N3 million each to three fishermen charged with illegally dealing in petroleum products.
The defendants, Tijani Gbadamosi, 48, Adelake Akininbosun, 54, and Kenneth Okoria, 39, are standing trial on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy and unlawful dealing in petroleum products.
Justice Mohammed Yunusa, who gave the bail, also asked the defendants to produce two sureties each to be bonded in like sum.
Yunusa said that one of the sureties must be a relation of the defendant while the second surety must own property within the jurisdiction of the court.
He ordered that the sureties must show evidence of two years tax payment and that the prosecutor must be involved in the verification of addresses of the sureties.
Yunusa, thereafter, adjourned the case to Dec. 3 for commencement of trial.
The counsel to the defendants, Mr Mark-Anthony Akariele, had urged the court to grant bail to his clients on liberal terms, saying they were family men who would not jump bail.
The prosecutor, DSP Mathew Omosun, had on Sept. 10 told the court that the suspects committed the offences on Aug. 27 at Ijanikin area of Lagos.
He alleged that the defendants loaded 700 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) worth N546,000 into a truck with registration number YB 200-EKY without appropriate licence.
Omosun said that the PMS which the defendants unlawfully dealt in, with the intent to distribute and sell to the public, belonged to Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC).
The prosecutor said that the alleged offences contravened Sections 1 (7) (a), 3 (6) and 17 (b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap 17 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation) Act, 2007.
The three pleaded not guilty to the charges.
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