A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Friday, July 23, sentenced 10 Nigerian pirates to 12 years imprisonment each for hijacking a Chinese fishing vessel.
Jailed were Frank Abaka, Jude Ebaragha, Shina Alolo, Joshua Iwiki, David Akinseye, Ahmed Toyin, Shobajo Saheed, Adekole Philip, Matthew Masi and Bright Agbedeyi.
The court found them guilty of seizing FV Hai Lu Feng II, off Cote D’Ivoire in May 2020. Justice Ayokunle Faji also ordered each of the pirates to pay a fine of N1million after they were convicted on all four counts preferred against them.
They were arraigned by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) on July 13, 2020 on a four-count charge bordering on hijacking of the vessel in international waters off the coast of Cote D’Ivoire. They pleaded not guilty, and were remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Navy, following which the trial commenced.
Delivering judgment, Justice Faji said, “All the defendants acted in hijacking the ship to achieve their common goal. Consequently I find each of the defendants guilty as charged in all the counts.
Each defendant is hereby sentenced to 12 years imprisonment. In addition, the defendants should pay a fine of N1million each. The naira sum, dollars and various currencies recovered from the defendants by the Nigerian Navy are hereby forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
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