BENIN CITY – A Benin High Court has convicted one Mr. Gabriel Osayande along side Authentic Pools for violating the rules and regulations guiding pools betting business in Edo State.
Gabriel Osayande and Authentic Pools of No. 102, Siluko Road, Benin City were earlier arraigned before the Edo State Mobile revenue court on a four count charge bothering on failure to comply with the requirements for the renewal of pool promoter’s licence and failure to pay promoter’s licence fee.
The offences contravenes Section 6 (1) of the Rules and Regulations guiding pool betting business in Edo State 2014 and punishable under Section 4 (2) of the pools betting (Control and Taxation Law) Edict No. 22 of 1986).
The charge read in part:
“That you, Mr. Gabriel Osayande and Authentic Pools of No. 102, Siluko Road, Benin City on the 22nd day of August 2014 to 31st October, 2014 in Edo State within the jurisdiction of the Edo State Mobile Revenue Court did fail to comply with the requirements for the renewal of a pool promoters licence to wit: failure to present the current yearly Tax Clearance Certificates by two of the company’s Directors and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 (1) of the Rules and Regulations guiding pool betting in Edo State and punishable under Section 4 (2) of the pools betting (Control and Taxation) (Edict No. 22 of 1986).
The charges further indicated, that Mr. Gabriel Osayande and Authentic Pools of No. 102, Siluko Road, Benin City on the 22nd day of August 2014 to 31st of October, 2014 in Edo State within the jurisdiction of the Edo State Mobile Revenue Court did fail to comply with the requirements  for the renewal of a pool promoter’s licence to wit: Failure to show evidence of payment of current year income tax as assessed by the Edo State Internal Revenue Service and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 (1) of the Rules and Regulations guiding Pool Betting Business in Edo State and punishable under Section 4 (2) of the Pools betting (Control and Taxation Law) (Edit No. 22 of 1986).
He was accused of failure to present a bank guarantee in the sum of N5 million and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 (11) of the Rules and regulations guiding pool betting business in Edo State and punishable under Section 4 (2) of the Pools Betting Business (Control and Taxation Law) (Edict No. 22 of the 1986).
During trial, the defendants represented by Counsel, Afolabi E.O. (Esq) pleaded not guilty after both parties called their witnesses to address the court.
Delivering judgment, the presiding Judge, Hon. Justice J.O. Okeaya upheld the four count charges and therefore sentenced the defendants to two years imprisonment on each count with an option of fine of N2,000 each.