The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned two Chinese nationals, Wang Jian and Wang Richard, along with a Nigerian, Michael Berneth Agu, before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court in Enugu State.
The defendants face three charges related to the illegal exportation of mineral ore and the unlawful possession of 15 pieces of the same material. The charges, based on the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, were outlined in a statement by Dele Oyewale, EFCC’s head of media and publicity.
One charge accuses the defendants of conspiring to export mineral ore without authorisation, while another accuses them of possessing mineral ore unlawfully, violating federal laws.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges. The EFCC, represented by prosecutor Onjefu Obe, requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the accused at the Enugu Correctional Facility.
However, defence counsel Peter Eze applied for bail, citing health concerns for Wang Jian, who reportedly requires intensive medical care. Eze also informed the court that plea bargain discussions were ongoing for the other two defendants.
Justice Umar granted bail to the defendants, setting the conditions at ₦10 million each with two sureties of equal sum. The sureties must be prominent residents of Enugu State, and the defendants were ordered to surrender their international passports. Until they meet bail conditions, the accused will remain in custody at the Enugu Correctional Facility.
The case began on November 3, 2024, when Wang Jian was intercepted at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu. Airport authorities discovered suspicious stones, identified as solid minerals, concealed in his luggage during a routine screening.
Subsequent investigations revealed that Jian intended to transport the minerals to China for testing. Following his arrest, the EFCC detained Richard Wang and Michael Berneth Agu on November 4, 2024, after uncovering their involvement in the conspiracy to export the minerals without proper authorisation.