The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has prosecuted two Chinese brothers for allegedly attempting to export some solid minerals to China without the required permit.
The Chinese brothers, Jiang Wang and Richard Wang, were arraigned along with a Nigerian, Michael Agu, before Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Enugu.
The trio, according to a statement posted on the EFCC Facebook page on Friday, were arraigned on Tuesday.
Initially, the accused were arrested along with another Nigerian, Donatus Agupusi.
But it is unclear why Agupusi was not prosecuted along with others.
Charges
The defendants were indicted on three counts of conspiracy, illegal possession and export of mineral.
The first charge reads: “That you, Wang Jian, Richard Wang and Michael Berneth Agu, sometime in 2024 at Enugu, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, with intent to defraud, conspired among yourselves to commit a serious offense namely: exportation of mineral without the permission of the appropriate authority and thereby committed an offense contrary to and punishable under Section 8(a) of the Advance Tariff Fraud and Other Related Offenses Act Fraud, 2006 and punishable under section 1 (3) of the same law.”
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The defendants, according to the statement, pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.
Following their pleas, the EFCC lawyer, Onjefu Obe, prayed the court that a trial date be fixed and that the accused be sent to the National Correctional Center in Enugu.
Subsequently, defense lawyer Peter Eze orally applied for his client's bail.
While admitting that the court does not accept oral claims, Mr. Eze pleaded with the court to grant his clients bail on the basis that the first defendant, Wang Jian, was ill and needed intensive medical care.
“As far as the other two defendants are concerned, sir, we have entered into a discussion about reaching a plea agreement, sir,” the defense attorney said.
Thereafter, he prayed the court to “graciously” grant his clients bail.
In response, Prosecutor Obe said the charge against the foreigners was “extremely sensitive,” both at the federal and local levels.
The lawyer urged the court to take note of the particularities that have to do with the case file.
“We are open to any type of plea agreement and expedited hearing to end this case as soon as possible,” he said.
After hearing both sides, Justice Umar granted the accused bail of N10 million each and two sureties of the same sum.
The guarantors must be prominent residents of Enugu State, the judge ruled.
The judge also ordered the defendants to deposit their international passports with the court.
Consequently, the accused were remanded at the National Correctional Centre, Enugu, pending compliance with their bail conditions.
The matter was adjourned to January 21, 2025 for trial.
How they were initially arrested
The EFCC said in the statement that the case with the accused began on November 3, 2024 when the anti-graft agency received a tip through the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria about Jian, who was intercepted at the baggage checkpoint. at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport. Enugu Airport
The EFCC said unidentified suspicious stones, believed to be solid minerals wrapped in three different pieces, were discovered in his luggage.
“Investigations revealed that Jian was attempting to travel out of the country with the mineral to conduct some tests in China,” he said.
The agency said that while Jian was arrested at the airport on November 3, 2024, Richard and Michael were arrested the next day at the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the EFCC.
He added that the arrest of Richard and Michael followed the discovery that the trio conspired to export the mineral without the required permission from the relevant authority.