DSC Steel Town: Four 'Concerned Residents' bag 27 months imprisonment for offences against the administration of justice

Four persons under the auspices of the Concerned Residents Association of the DSC Steel Town Residential quarters now under the control and management of Premium Steel and Mines Limited, have bagged a cumulative 27 months jail term each for obstructing the execution of the judgment of the Otor-Udu Area Customary Court which ordered eviction of tenants that failed to pay their rents.

The Judgment was delivered on Friday May 30, 2025 in a Charge Number MUD/43c/2024 before His Worship, Dortie A.K.E, Chief Magistrate Grade II in the Magistrate Court of Delta State in the Udu Magisterial District sitting at Otor-Udu. 

The Court found the defendants including Darlington Erhiejakpor, Dr David Emomotimi, Alex Oyibo, Jemierieyigbe Oluwoni and others still at large guilty of committing the offences for which they were charged and punishable under Section 516 among other sections of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. C21, Laws of Delta State of Nigeria, 2006.

On Count 1 which is conspiracy to commit misdemeanor, the defendants were sentenced to three months imprisonment with an option of fine, while Count 2, which borders on obstructing officers of Court from discharging their duties, the defendants were sentenced to one year imprisonment with an option of fine. They were also found guilty of the offence of conduct likely to cause a breach of public peace, attracting one year imprisonment also with an option of fine.

The Magistrate ruled further that the sentence takes effect from May 30, 2025 and that the prison terms are to run concurrently while the fines are cumulative.

The case arose from the attitude of stubborn tenants in the DSC Steel Towns for staff of DSC now Premium Steel and Mines Limited with many of the present occupiers of the residential quarters being non-staff of the company and so are expected to pay rents to the company. The Company went to Court to seek the leave of court to retrieve the company property from those not willing or unable to pay rents on the residential quarters.

Earlier, an Otor-Udu Area Customary Court gave judgment ordering evictions of some tenants but the defendants resisted the court officials from executing the Orders of that Court, which exfacie was contempt of Court. 

In his reaction to the Judgement, a top management staff of Premium Steel and Mines Limited who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the matter, expressed satisfaction with the judgment advising all residents of the company’s residential quarters to be law abiding and comply with PSML Housing Estate Rules, as PSML being a responsible corporate organization will not do anything outside the dictates of their rule of engagement.

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