The Federal High Court, Jos has convicted and sentenced four Chinese to 20 years imprisonment for illegal mining of solid minerals in Plateau State.
The convicts are: Liang Quin Yong, Wang Huajie, Zhong Jiajing and Long Kechong.
The defendants were arrested on March 8, 2025 at JLM Mining company site following credible intelligence on activities of some Chinese suspected to be involved in illegal mining activities in Jos, Plateau State.
Each of them were prosecuted on a one-count separate charge bordering on dealing in illegal solid minerals mining.
They pleaded “guilty” when the charges were read to them, following which Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) counsel, M.O. Arumemi and F.A.I Asemebo prayed the court to convict them accordingly.
Satisfied that the prosecution has proven the case beyond reasonable doubts, Justice Dorcas Agishi found the defendants guilty and sentenced the four Chinese to five years imprisonment each or pay a fine of N1 million each for unlawful purchase and possession of mineral resources
The judge also ordered that the convicts be deported from Nigeria and banned from re-entering the country.
The judge further ordered that all proceeds of crime are to be forfeited to the federal government while Liang Quin Yong is to forfeit the sum of N134,874,769.01 which formed the proceeds of the unlawful purchase of the mineral resources.
Justice Agishi further ordered the forfeiture of the entire mineral resources recovered in the course of investigation and the sum of N16.3 million as administrative fine for failure to report a financial transaction within seven days to the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML) as provided under Section 11(1)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.