A federal high court sitting in Jos, Plateau state has sentenced ex-minister, Sarah Ochekpe along with two others, Evan Leo Sunday Jitong and Raymond Dabo, to six years imprisonment each.
The trio was convicted and sentenced by Justice H. M. Kurya on an amended three-count charge bordering on conspiracy and money laundering.
Ochekpe, served as former minister of water resources in the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, while Jitong and Dabo, served as deputy director for Goodluck/Sambo 2015 election campaign and former Acting chairman of PDP, Plateau state respectively.
They were alleged to have 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.
Investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) showed that on March 26, 2015, the sum of N450million were withdrawn from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, by Fidelity Bank Plc, Jos main branch and it was handed over to the defendants in cash after they signed for collection.
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 (3) years imprisonment with an option of N2,000,000.00 (Two Million Naira) fine each.
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.
Source: www.clintonsdaily.com
Post a Comment