EFCC officials
According to a report on Premium Times, Gabriel Daudu, a former
member of the Kogi State House of Assembly and former Caretaker
Chairman, Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area of the state, was on
Monday, officially convicted for a N1.4 billion fraud.
The former lawmaker who was first arraigned in April 2010 by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was prosecuted by the
EFCC on a 208-count charge bordering on money laundering and
misappropriation of public funds.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, who tried the case at the Federal High Court
in Lokoja, Kogi State, found him guilty of 77 counts and sentenced him
to 154-year imprisonment.
In his ruling, the trial judge held that the prosecution proved its
case beyond every reasonable doubt, and therefore sentenced Mr. Daudu
to two years on each of the 77 counts to run concurrently.
Before the conviction of the politician, prosecuting counsel, Wahab
Shittu, tendered various exhibits before the court and fielded 13
witnesses to prove the case against him.
In the course of the trial, Justice Ekwo indicated that the trial
might have to start afresh as the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court,
Justice Ibrahim Auta, asked Justice P.M. Ayuba of the Lokoja Division
of the court to take over the case.
However, Mr. Shittu pleaded with Justice Auta to review the
decision. The Chief Judge, thereafter, returned the case file to Justice
Ekwo, who, Monday, found Mr. Daudu guilty of the 77 counts.
Since the sentences are running concurrently, Mr. Daudu will spend only two years in jail.
No comments:
Post a Comment