The Court of Appeal, Sokoto division, has dismissed the appeal of two finance officials of the Sokoto state government, Mr. Kabiru Bello and Mr Bashar Garba, to dismiss the 4-year jail term handed to by Sokoto state high court.
The duo, who were staff of Sokoto state ministry of finance before their conviction, were investigated by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), on allegations of fraud, and were found guilty by Justice Mohammed Mohammed of Sokoto High Court No.7, who sentenced each of them to 4-years imprisonment, and also ordered for the restitution of the proceeds of crime to the victims.
Dissatisfied with the said judgment, they approached the Court of Appeal Sokoto Division through their Counsel Mr. Kelechi D. Ogbonna, urging the court to set aside the judgment of the trial court.
ICPC Counsel, Mr. Mashkur Salisu, argued at the Appeal Court that the convicts were sentenced accordingly by the lower court for contravening the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
Having listened to the arguements from both counsel, the Appeal court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the judgment of the lower court and dismissed the convicts’ appeal for lack of merit.
Source: www.clintonsdaily.com
Post a Comment