A Federal High Court, sitting in Jos, Plateau State has convicted a former Minister of Water Resources during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, Sarah Ochekpe and her accomplices.
Others convicted along with her were the deputy director for Goodluck/Sambo 2015 election campaign, Raymond Dabo, former Acting Chairman of PDP, Plateau State, Leo Jitong.
Justice H. M. Kurya sentenced all the defendants to six years imprisonment for N450 million fraud levelled against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The Commission alleged that the defendants received the sum of N450million from Fidelity Bank Plc through cash and wire transfer by some oil companies and former Petroleum Resources Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, to influence the outcome of the 2015 presidential election.
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An investigation had shown that on March 26, 2015, the sum of N450million was withdrawn from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, by Fidelity Bank Plc, Jos main branch and it was handed over to the defendants in cash after they signed for collection.
Though the defendants claimed that they handed over the money to late Senator Gyang Pwajok, the Plateau State PDP Governorship candidate in 2015, they, however, failed to provide any evidence to support the claim.
The defendants were convicted on count one, bordering on conspiracy to accept cash payment above threshold under the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2012 (as amended) and sentenced to three years imprisonment with an option of N2,000,000.00 (Two Million Naira) fine each.
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On count two, the defendants were convicted and sentenced to three (3) years imprisonment with an option of N2, 000,000 (Two Million Naira) fine each.
The sentences are to run consecutively.
The Court discharged and acquitted them on count three which borders on retention of funds.
