Chinese Bags 5 Years Imprisonment For Illegal Mining In Kwara

One Gang Deng, a 29-year-old Chinese national has been sentenced to five years imprisonment in Ilorin, Kwara State. 

He was sentenced on Wednesday by Justice Muhammed Sani of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin for offences bordering on illegal mining and possession of minerals without lawful authority

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Gang was arrested along Tsaragi Road in Share, Edu Local Government Area of the state on Friday, by the Ilorin Zonal Command of the EFCC. 

He was found to be in possession of 25 tons of minerals suspected to be Lepidolite, a raw material used for the production of batteries for vehicles, cell phones, cameras and other electronic devices.

Prior to this development, the operatives of the EFCC, in collaboration with the Kwara State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development arrested 13 suspected illegal miners.

They were arrested on August 30, 2022, operating in Kakafu village in Patigi Local Government Area of the state.

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According to EFCC, mining without license is a criminal offence under the law. 

It is an act of economic sabotage, punishable under Section 1 (8) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, which stipulates life imprisonment for offenders.

The Chinese national who is the Managing Director of Sinuo Xinyang Nigeria Ltd had confessed to the crime.

He was first arraigned by the Ilorin Command of the EFCC alongside his company, Sinuo Xinyang Nigeria Ltd, on one count amended charge before Justice Sani. 

When the charge was read to the defendant, he pleaded guilty, but entered “not guilty plea” for his company.  

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The court, thereafter adjourned till November 17, 2022 for hearing in the case of the convict’s company, Sinuo Xinyang Nigeria Ltd.

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