A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted and sentenced two Chinese nationals, Zhang Hong Lin and Gao Pei Hai, to 25 years imprisonment each for conspiring to illegally export Nigeria’s mineral resources, with an option of a 10 million naira fine on each of five counts.

Justice Akintayo Aluko ordered that the sentences run from the date of the defendants’ arrest and directed the forfeiture of all mineral resources involved in the case to the federal government. The two were arraigned alongside a third suspect, Gao Pei Yu, who remains at large, on charges including conspiracy and attempted export of mica, lithium bearing and copper bearing minerals without lawful authority, in violation of Nigeria’s Miscellaneous Offences Act.

Prosecutors, represented by Hannatu Kofarnaisa, alleged the defendants attempted to export the minerals through Lagos without approval from relevant authorities, in an effort to defraud the federal government of revenue from the country’s solid mineral resources. After reviewing the evidence, Justice Aluko found the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt and convicted both defendants on all counts.