...the judgment Cannot Stand - Ngilari
A High Court
in Yola, Adamawa State has sentenced a former Governor of the state, James Bala
Ngilari to five years’ imprisonment without the option of fine.
He was found
guilty of corruption charges filed against him in September 2016 by Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The court
presided over by Justice Nathan Musa,
said that
the prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt that Ngilari violated the
Public Procurement Act of the state by awarding contract for the procurement of
25 vehicles for his commissioners at the cost of N167 million without following
due process.
He said
Ngilari’s action amounted to executive lawlessness.
Musa said
that the five years was the least he could give Ngilari, whose lawyer, Mr Samuel Toni (SAN) pleaded
for leniency “in view of his (Ngilari) invaluable contribution while he was the
governor of the state during the trying moment of insurgency.”
Musa said
that Ngilari would serve the sentence in the prison of his choice in the
country “but for now he should start with Yola prison.”
Musa
expressed hope that the conviction and sentence of Ngilari would serve as a
deterrent to serving governors who engage in doing things without following due
process.
“It is my
hope that this conviction and sentence will serve as deterrent to serving governors.”
The Judge acquitted the former Secretary to the State Government, Mr Andrew Welye and
Former Commissioner of Finance, Mr Sunday Lamurde, who stood trial with the
former governor on same offenses of 17 count charges. The judge said that the
prosecutor could not prove the case against them.
Lawyers to
Ngilari said their client would appeal the sentence. Meanwhile, the ex-governor
has been taken away from the court.
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