EFCC Arraigns Police Officer for Oil Theft

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC today, February 18, 2014 arraigned a police officer, Dodo Chilla Bulus, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, before Justice E.S Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja on a 2-count charge bordering on oil theft and pipeline vandalism.

The accused person and fourteen others who are currently being prosecuted by the Commission before the same court are alleged to have conspired amongst themselves to break crude oil pipeline and siphon product. The others are Joseph Amaechi, Israel Friday, Ubadia Francis, Abayomi Adebisi, Abdullahi Idris, Samuel Job, Onah Peter Ode, Sabo TashaHassan, Abdullahi Moh’d, Abubakar Abdulkadir, Ehiogu Paul, Ibrahim Saidu, Garba Mohammed and Bartholomew Onyema.
Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Dodo Chilla Bulus and Joseph Amaechi, Israel Friday, Ubadia Francis, Abayomi Adebisi, Abdullahi Idris, Samuel Job, Onah Peter Ode, Sabo TashaHassan, Abdullahi Moh’d, Abubakar Abdulkadir, Ehiogu Paul, Ibrahim Saidu, Garba Mohammed, Bartholomew Onyema all standing trial in the charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR 2013 before Federal High Court 8 Abuja sometime in the month of March, 2013 at Kilometre 82 Piri Village along Abaji- Lokoja Road in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, did conspire amongst yourself to commit a felony to wit; wilfully and maliciously break oil pipeline meant for the transportation of crude oil and you thereby committed an offence contrary and punishable under section 3(6)of the Miscellaneous Offences Act CAP M 17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004”.
After the suspect had taken his plea, counsel to EFCC, Elizabeth Ayodele asked the court to fix a date for trial and remand the accused person in prison custody. Responding, the defence counsel, Alex Akunebu prayed the court to admit his client to bail. He said, the essence of bail is to ensure that the accused person is available for trial, adding that the accused person being a Police Officer understands what bail means and that he is ready to comply with the bail terms if so granted. Akunebu therefore urged the court to exercise its discretion in favour of his client.
However, Ayodele objected on the ground that the offence committed by the accused person is an economic sabotage against the state which attracts life imprisonment if found guilty. According to her, the accused person being a Police Officer knows the gravity of the offence he has committed and may jump bail or interfere with the witnesses. She therefore urged the court to refuse their application.
Justice Chukwu adjourned the case to February 25, 2014 for ruling on the bail application while the accused person is to remain in prison custody.

Media & Publicity
18th February, 2014