A Federal High Court (FHC) sitting in Port Harcourt has convicted three of the nine accused persons who on March 21 hijacked an Equatorial Guinea flagged vessel, MV ELOBEY VI, off Equatorial Guinea coast.
Suleman Dahun, the Navy Director of Information disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.
Noting that the Justice Ishaq Sani gave the judgment on Monday, he stated that the judge summarily convicted Binaebi Johnson, Daniel Lemmar and Ghane Gordon on Counts 1 and 2.
“In its ruling on the bail application, the bail application was not granted because the accused persons may not make themselves available to stand trial if granted bail.
“Consequently, the court arraigned the accused persons on the amended charges.
“During the proceedings, Binaebi Johnson, Daniel Lemmar and Ghane Gordon pleaded guilty to counts 1 and 2 and not guilty to counts 3 – 5 while the remaining six accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.
“Accordingly, the prosecutor applied to the court to withdraw the charges on which the accused persons pleaded not guilty.
The prayer was granted and the accused persons were discharged on counts 3 – 5,” he said.
He also reflected on how the Nigerian Navy had arrested Binaebi Johnson, Daniel Lemmar, Ghane Gordon, Hassan Hakeem, Gregory Smith, Ofem Uket, John Mark, Chidi Amadi and Eze Amadi who were suspected to be members of the kidnapping syndicate that hijacked the vessel.
He said that it was reported that the kidnappers demanded for a two million dollars ransom out of which 200,000 dollars ransom was eventually paid.
Mr. Dahun said after their arrest by the Nigerian Navy, the suspects were arraigned before the FHC, Port Harcourt on July 23 on a 7 count charge to which all the accused persons pleaded not guilty.
He said, “As a result, the counsel to the accused persons made an application for bail pending the conclusion of the trial.
“Accordingly, the matter was adjourned to August 10, 11 and 12 for ruling on the bail application and commencement of the trial.”
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