Port Harcourt High Court Convicts 3 Pirates – Navy

The Federal High Court Sitting in Port Harcourt has convicted 3 of the 9 accused persons who hijacked an Equatorial Guinea flagged vessel, MV ELOBEY VI, off the coast of Equatorial Guinea on March 21.

The Director of Information, Nigerian Navy, Commodore Suleman Dahun, who made this known in a statement made available to THE WHISTLER, said Justice Ishaq Sani gave the judgement on Monday.

Dahun said the judge convicted Binaebi Johnson, Daniel Lemmar and Ghane Gordon were convicted under the new Anti-Piracy Act 2019 and ordered to pay a fine of N10 million each on each of the two charges to which they pleaded guilty.

Dahun said during the hearing, the prosecution filed an amended charges dated Aug. 7.

“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 he said.

“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 6 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.

Dahun recalled that 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 N2 million- dollar ransom out of which the sum of 200,000 dollars was eventually paid.

“As a result, the counsel to the accused persons made an application for bail pending conclusion of the trial.

“Accordingly, the matter was adjourned to Aug. 10, 11 and 12 for ruling on the bail application and commencement of the trial,” he said.