Tony John, Port Harcourt
The Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has remanded six Nigerians and three expatriates over their alleged involvement in kidnapping, sea piracy and terrorism.
The accused persons, Binaebi Johnson, Daniel Lemmer, Ghane Gordopn, Hassan Hakeem, Gregory Smith, Ofem Uket, John Mark, Chidi Amadi and Eze Amadi, are staff of Pilgrim Africa Limited.
Daily Sun gathered that the Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder arrested the accused persons after they had reportedly paid the sum of $200,000, to pirates who kidnapped some staff members of the company.
The accused persons face a three-count-charge of conspiracy and terrorism preferred against them by the Federal Government.
The charges in FHC/PH/62C/2020 indicated that the accused persons transported the kidnap victims to Calabar, Cross River State, after they were freed by their abductors. They were arrested by the NNS Pathfinder, Port Harcourt.
Court said the suspects committed an offence contrary to Section 17 (1) of Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013.
Part of the charges read: “That you Binaebi Johnson, Daniel Lemmer, Ghane Gordopn, Hassan Hakeem, Gregory Smith. Ofem Uket, John Mark, Chidi Amadi, Eze Amadi, Pilgrim Africa Limited, all male, adult and of Pilgrim Africa Limited, Port Harcourt, Rivers State and others now at large sometime within May 2020 at Port Harcourt, Rivers State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court committed an act of terrorist by indirectly aiding and abetting in the payment of ransom of $200, 000 to pirates who attacked MV ELOBEY VI, an Equatorial Guinea flagged vessel off Equatorial Guinea coast and held the crew hostage and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 of Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2012.”
The nine accused persons pleaded not guilty to all the charges leveled against them by the government.
Prosecution counsel, Labaram Magaji, prayed the court to strike out the name of the 10th defendant, Pilgrim Africa Limited, while relying on Section 216 of the Administration of Criminal Justice 2015. Magaji requested the court to commence the trial and remand the suspects in the correctional centre as place of safe custody, pending the determination of the matter or the bail application filed by the respective defendants.
Meanwhile, the defence counsel, Abimbola Akeredolu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), requested the court to entertain the bail application of the defendants, which she said was ripe for hearing. She prayed the court for an order admitting all the applicants on bail on liberal ground and favourable terms.
Akeredolu told the court that the applicants would be available in court till the matter is concluded, adding that the suspects are not flight risk.
However, the trial judge, Justice Mohammed Sani, promised accelerated hearing on the matter. Sani remanded the defendants in the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre, ordering officials of the centre to ensure that all COVID-19 precautionary protocols are maintained in the admission.
The matter was adjourned till August 10, 11 and 12 for ruling on bail application and commencement of hearing.