Court convicts illegal revenue collector in Delta
An illegal revenue collector, Emmanuel Ugbeje, has been sentenced to one year in prison with an option of a ₦500,000 fine by a Mobile Court of the Delta State government.
This follows a report by The PUNCH highlighting the harassment and extortion faced by truck drivers and members of the Union of Tippers and Quarry Employers of Nigeria along the Alifekede-Agbor route in Delta State.
Ugbeje was arrested on January 21, 2025, at Owa-Ekei Road during an extortion attempt and arraigned the same day before the Delta State Internal Revenue Service Taskforce Mobile Court in Asaba.
Presiding Magistrate Kekeje sentenced the defendant after reviewing the evidence presented by the prosecution.
The magistrate, after listening to the prosecution and defendant hence sentenced the defendant, Emmanuel Ugbeje, to one year imprisonment or a fine of N500,000.
It was learnt that the defendant was convicted and sentenced accordingly but later paid the fine to regain his freedom.
The Chairman of the Union, Mr Wilson Ogbachi, had called the Delta State Internal Revenue Board over the activities of the illegal revenue collector along the federal highway at the Anifekede spot in the Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State. which led to the arrest.
Speaking with our correspondent on Friday, Ogbachi commended the state government for the action taken to save their members.
“The publication you did really went viral and the government moved to action. We are grateful to PUNCH.
“One of the boys was arrested and arranged in a mobile court and was sentenced to jail with the option of a fine. Though, he paid the fine to regain his freedom.
“They have dismantled the illegal tolls on the road and our people. The truck drivers are no longer being harassed by these illegal revenue collectors. Even some government officials that were backing them have withdrawn,” he said.
