Delivering the judgment on Friday, Justice Ayokunle Faji submitted that piracy had been an embarrassment to the nation and had impacted the economy negatively.
A Federal High Court in Lagos State has sentenced 10 suspected pirates to 12 years' imprisonment for kidnapping the crew of a Chinese-flagged merchant vessel last year.According to a release from the Nigerian Navy obtained by SaharaReporters, the convicts are; Frank Abaka, Jude Ebaragha, Shina Alolo, Joshua Iwiki, David Akinseye, Ahmed Toyin, Shobajo Saheed, Adekole Philip, Matthew Masi, and Bright Agbedeyi.
The judge stated that the punishment for the act must be proportionate to the offence committed by the convicts to serve as deterrence to others. In his submission, the lead prosecution counsel, Labaran Magaji, averred that the verdict would send a strong warning to other criminal elements that Nigeria had zero-tolerance for maritime criminals.
He added that it would send a strong message that Nigerian institutions, including the Nigerian Navy, and other security agencies were ready to counter criminal activities.It would be recalled that the Nigerian Navy rescued 18 crew members on board the Chinese vessel, FV HAILUFENG II, from a pirates’ attack on May 15, 2020.
Nigeria Latest News, Nigeria Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Nigerian court jails 10 pirates for hijack of Chinese vesselFederal High Court has sentenced ten pirates involved in the 2020 hijack of a merchant vessel FV HAILUFENG II to 12 years imprisonment
Read more »
Court Sentences 10 Pirates To 12 Years ImprisonmentA Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has sentenced 10 pirates involved in the 2020 hijack of a merchant vessel FV HAILUFENG II to 12 years imprisonment
Read more »
Court sentences 10 pirates to 120 years in prisonThe convicts were were arraigned in July 2020 for allegedly hijacking the Chinese vessel in international waters off the coast of Cote D’Ivoire.
Read more »
Court jails ex-banker, Wife, Mother–In-Law for 60 Years
Read more »
What Nigerian govt must do before court grants extradition of Sunday Igboho - FalanaHuman rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has explained what the Nigerian government must do to successfully extradite Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday
Read more »
Court orders DSS to produce detained Igboho’s aides in court on July 29
Read more »