The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arraigned the vessel MT Ostria and three individuals before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, over the alleged theft of more than 25 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) belonging to NNPC Retail Limited.

The defendants – Captain Raymundo A. Panaligam, Chief Officer Roneno Villarin, and Mr. Vincent Wayas – were charged alongside the vessel on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing.

According to the charge sheet, the defendants conspired to unlawfully take 25,354,000 litres of PMS, an offence punishable under Sections 411, 280, and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

One of the counts reads:

“MT Ostria, Captain Raymundo A. Panaligam, Chief Officer Roneno Villarin, and Mr Vincent Wayas, sometime in January 2024 in Lagos, conspired amongst yourselves to commit felony, to wit: stealing of 13,354,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, property of NNPC Retail Limited.”

Other counts allege the theft of nine million litres and an additional three million litres of PMS on or about January 17, 2024.

All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following the plea, the prosecuting counsel, Bilikisu Buhari, urged the court to fix a trial date and remand the defendants in a correctional facility, citing them as potential flight risks. Meanwhile, the defence informed the court that formal bail applications had already been filed and requested that the defendants continue under the administrative bail conditions previously granted by the EFCC.

In her ruling, Justice Dada allowed the defendants to remain on the existing EFCC bail conditions and adjourned the case to November 17 and 27, 2025, for the commencement of trial.