Kwara Court jails two Chinese for Illegal Mining.
In a significant legal development, two Chinese nationals, Duan Ya Hong and Xiao Yi, were handed one-year prison sentences by the Federal High Court in Ilorin on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. Justice Evelyn Anyadike presided over the case, which centered on charges related to illegal mining and possession of solid minerals without proper licenses.
The prosecution, represented by the EFCC‘s counsel Innocent Mbachie, meticulously presented evidence that included the defendants’ statements, photographs, mineral samples, and a forensic report from the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency. Remarkably, the defendants, represented by I.A Ahmed, raised no objections to the admissibility of this evidence.
Related Posts
The charges against Hong and Yi stemmed from an incident in February 2024, where they were found to have purchased 30 tons of minerals without lawful authority in Banni, Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State. This act constituted a violation of Section 1(8)(b) of the Miscellaneous Offenses Act 1984.
Initially pleading not guilty, the defendants later altered their plea to guilty for one count of an amended 11-count charge during the trial. Consequently, Justice Anyadike found them guilty and handed down the one-year prison sentences. Hong was given the option of paying a fine of N2 million, while Yi’s fine option was set at N1.5 million.
Furthermore, the court ordered the interim forfeiture of the 30 tons of minerals and the truck involved in the illegal activity.
