Story by Iyiola Ayomide
Justice Dorcas V. Agishi of the Federal High Court in Jos, Plateau State on Thursday convicted four Chinese nationals—Liang Quin Yong, Wang Huajie, Zhong Jiajing, and Long Kechong—for illegal mining activities.
This conviction followed their arrest on March 8, 2025, at a site operated by JLM Mining Company after credible intelligence indicated their involvement in unlawful mining operations in the region.
Each defendant faced a separate one-count charge under Section 1(8)(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act of 1983 for engaging in the purchase of mineral resources without lawful authority. The charges were as follows:
Liang Quin Yong: Engaged in unlawful purchase of mineral resources on or about March 9 at Dura Rayfield axis.
Wang Huajie: Similar charges as Liang Quin Yong.
Zhong Jiajing: Charged identically to his co-defendants.
Long Kechong: Faced the same charge regarding illegal mineral purchases.
Upon arraignment, all four defendants pleaded guilty to the charges presented against them. The prosecution team from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), led by M.O. Arumemi and F.A.I. Asemebo, successfully established their culpability beyond reasonable doubt
Justice Agishi sentenced each defendant to five years imprisonment or an option to pay a fine of N1,000,000 (One Million Naira). This resulted in a total potential sentence of twenty years across all four individuals if they opted for imprisonment instead of paying fines. Additionally, the court ordered their deportation from Nigeria and imposed a permanent ban on re-entering the country.
The court also mandated that all proceeds from their illegal activities be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria. Specifically:
Liang Quin Yong was ordered to forfeit N134,874,769.01 (approximately One Hundred and Thirty-Four Million Naira), which represented proceeds from his unlawful purchases.
An administrative fine of N16,300,000 (Sixteen Million Three Hundred Thousand Naira) was imposed for failing to report financial transactions within seven days as required under Section 11(1)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act of 2022.