Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court, Ilorin Division, has convicted two illegal miners and a company for unlawful possession of solid minerals.
In a statement on Friday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said the convicts were sentenced after pleading guilty to the charges.
The convicts are Abdullahi Dauda, Mohammed Aminu, Great River Mining Company Limited and a truck driver who conveyed the minerals.
According to the EFCC, they were arraigned on charges of unlawful acts and illegal mining.
The charge alleged that Mr Dauda conveyed 18 tonnes of solid minerals in a truck, while the charge against the company and Mr Aminu stated they were found in possession of 40.23 tonnes of lead ore.
It cited Section 1(18)(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap. M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, and Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering Act, respectively.
Upon arraignment, the defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges, prompting the prosecution counsel, Innocent Mbachie and Mustapha Kaigama, to pray the court to convict them accordingly.
The judge sentenced Mr Dauda to 12 months’ imprisonment, with an option of N1 million fine. The court also ordered the owner of the truck used to convey the minerals to pay a N5 million fine, while the minerals were forfeited to the federal government through the commission.
However, the court sentenced Great River Mining Company Limited and Mr Aminu to 12 months’ imprisonment each, with an option of N1 million fine.