Three workers of Shebah Exploration & Production Company Ltd, in Ilaje council area of Ondo State, have been arraigned before an Akure Magistrates’ Court for murder, arson, malicious damage, and destruction of property through illegal bunkering activities.

The workers, identified as Anthony Nwuba, Orofin Pius Yomi, and Patrick Aganyebi were charged by the police for the murder of nine persons.

The trio were accused of setting the victims ablaze through illegal bunkering activities in the vessel and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 316 (9) of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol. 1 Laws of the Ondo State of Nigeria.

They were charged with causing an explosion that set ablaze Sheba Company vessel valued at N41.6 billion through illegal bunkering activities contrary to Section  443 (b) of the State Criminal Code.

Recall that the explosion occurred at the Trinity Spirit floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel which belongs to Shebah Exploration & Production Company Ltd (SEPCOL), a producer from OML 108 covering 750 square km (290 square miles) off the waters of the Niger Delta in Ondo State.

Nine persons were said to have died in the explosion but not all the bodies were recovered while 60, 000 barrels of oil spilt from the vessel were destroyed.

The Police prosecutor, Adeoye Adesegun, told the court that the offences were contrary to Sections 324, 319 (9) and 443 (b) of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol.1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.

Adesegun, in his motion, asked the court to remand the suspects in prison custody pending advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in the State Ministry of Justice.

However, counsel to the suspects, Dr. Benson Enikuomehin, who described the charges as ‘trumped-up’ said, “it was callous on the part of the Police to charge workers of the company for murder when indeed they escaped death by the whiskers when the vessel they were working with exploded on the sea.

But Enikuomehin, in a counter-affidavit canvassed that the charges brought against the defendants were ‘smoke-screen’ to hide the truth of the evil deposit of the firm at Ukpokiti oil field.

According to him, the firm was owing the staff being prosecuted for murder, more than two years’ salary arrears.

He said it was some fishermen that helped the defendants who were working on the vessel on the night of the inferno escape being killed in the incident.

He, therefore, wondered why the charge of murder, arson, and malicious damage would be brought against those who were supposed to be in the hospital recuperating

The Presiding Magistrate, Olanipekun Mayomi, in his ruling granted the suspects bail in the sum of N2 million each and a surety in like sum.

Mayumi ordered the prosecution to send the case file sent to the DPP for advice and adjourned the matter to July 13, 2022, for mention.