Court Sentences Ex-Minister, Others Over N450m Fraud In Nigeria

                       Gift BARIKWA, PH

A Federal High Court in Jos, Nigeria, has sentenced former Minister of Water Resources, Sarah Ochekpe and two others for N450 million fraud.

The court which also sentenced Raymond Dabo and  Leo Jitung to three months imprisonment each, said the offence which contravened the provisions of Section 16(1) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2013 as amended an offence which carries a minimum of three years imprisonment or a N10 million fine.

TNN learnt that Justice Musa Kurna in his discretion sentenced them to three months’ imprisonment each or an option of N1 million naira each.

Reports revealed that The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had charged them in 2018 with conspiracy and money laundering, which Ochekpe, Dabo and Jitung entered a plea of no case submission.

During the sentence of the convicts, the judge held that after withdrawing the said amount from the bank, they did not withhold the money to themselves but delivered same to a governorship candidate, as such were not guilty of retaining the sum for themselves.

Kurna however said they were guilty of withdrawing the N450 million which he said was above the threshold of an individual withdrawal.