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Romanus Okoye
The Court of Appeal, Calabar division, Cross Rivers State, has ordered fresh trial of Blue Dolphin Limited and others over alleged oil bunkering.
The court presided over by Justice Philomena Ekpe had on Tuesday, May 19, 2020 set aside the decision of a Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, which acquitted Edward Odey Oluohu, Frank Asuquo Okon, Godwin Etim Anwanadung and their companies, Blue Dolphin Limited and Lib-Zone Petroleum Limited.
The case of alleged oil bunkering was brought before the court by the Uyo zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The commission had on May 22, 2018 arraigned the defendants before Justice F. O. Riman of the Federal High Court, Uyo, on a 6-count charge bordering on conspiracy and illegal dealing in petroleum products. The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges, setting the stage for their trial which commenced on June 22, 2018. In the course of trial, the prosecution, through its counsel, Nwandu Ukoha presented three witnesses and tendered 14 exhibits which were all admitted in evidence.
The defence counsel, Ime Umana made a ‘No Case Submission’. He argued that the evidence adduced against his clients were not sufficient to justify the continuation of trial and urged the court to discharge and acquit them.
