EFCC arraigns Chinese brothers for illegal dealing in solid minerals

The Chinese brothers, Jiang Wang and Richard Wang were arraigned alongside a Nigerian, Michael Benneth Agu in Enugu on Tuesday, the EFCC said on Friday.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned two Chinese brothers for allegedly attempting to export some solid minerals to China without requisite permit.

The Chinese brothers, Jiang Wang and Richard Wang were arraigned alongside a Nigerian, Michael Agu, before Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Enugu.

The trio, according to a statement posted on the EFCC’s Facebook page on Friday, were arraigned on Tuesday.

The defendants were initially arrested alongside one other Nigerian, Donatus Agupusi.

But it is unclear why Mr Agupusi was not arraigned with others.

Charges

The defendants were arraigned on three-count charge of conspiracy, illegal possession of and exporting of mineral ore.

Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Wang Jian, Richard Wang and Michael Berneth Agu, sometime in 2024 in Enugu, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, with intent to defraud, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit a felony to wit: exporting of Mineral Ore without the permission of appropriate authority and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 8 (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act”.

The defendants, according to the statement, pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.

Following their pleas, counsel to the EFCC, Onjefu Obe prayed the court for a trial date and the defendants to be remanded at the National Correctional Facility in Enugu.

The defence counsel, Peter Eze, subsequently made an oral application for his client’s bail.

While admitting that the court does not grant oral applications, Mr Eze prayed the court to grant his clients bail on the ground that the first defendant, Wang Jian, was sick and needed intensive medical care.

“As regards the other two defendants, my lord, we have started a discussion on how to arrive at a plea bargain, sir,” the defence counsel said.

He thereafter prayed the court to “graciously” grant his clients bail.

Responding, the prosecuting counsel, Mr Obe, said the charge against the foreign nationals was “extremely sensitive,” both at the federal and local levels.

The lawyer urged the court to take cognisance of the peculiarities that have to do with the case file.

“We are open for any kind of plea bargain and accelerated hearing in order to end this case as soon as possible,” he said.

After listening to both parties, Justice Umar granted the defendants bail in the sum of N10 million each and two sureties in like sum.

The sureties must be prominent residents of Enugu State, the judge ruled.

The judge also ordered the defendants to deposit their international passports with the court.

The defendants were consequently remanded at the National Correctional Facility in Enugu, pending when they fulfil the terms of their bail conditions.

The matter was adjourned to 21 January 2025 for trial.

How they were initially arrested

The EFCC said in the statement that the case with the defendants began on 3 November 2024 when the anti-graft agency received a tip-off through the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria regarding Jian who was intercepted at the baggage screening point at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu

The EFCC said unidentified suspicious stones, believed to be solid minerals wrapped in three different pieces, were discovered in his luggage.

“Investigations revealed that Jian was attempting to travel out of the country with the mineral ore to carry out some tests on them in China,” it said.

The agency said that while Jian was arrested at the airport on 3 November 2024, Richard and Michael were arrested the next day at the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the EFCC.

It added that Richard and Michael’s arrest followed the discovery that the trio conspired to export the mineral ore without the requisite permit from the appropriate authority.