A prominent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Adamawa State and former Commissioner for Finance and Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state, Chief John Babani Elias, has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour over a corruption case instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFFC) yesterday in Yola.
Justice Bilkisu Bello Aliyu in a judgment delivered at the Federal High Court, Yola, in the case instituted by EFCC on behalf of the Federal Government against Mohammed Inuwa Bassi, John Babani Elias and Al-Akim Investment Nig. Ltd, a company promoted by the latter, listed as the 1st and 2nd defendant, acquitted Inuwa Bassi and sentenced John Babani Elias to ten years imprisonment.
Chief Elias, a prominent sponsor of the PDP, who has since been taken to the Jimeta Prison to serve his sentence, appeared to be high spirits before the Judge Hajiya Bilkisu Bello Aliyu read the verdict.
The EFCC which secured the conviction in one of the landmark cases of graft involving a political bigwig in the state did so after it amended the charges against the accused to three counts of graft contrary to section 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Case of corruption Section 1 (2) (b) of the same Act.
The judge in her ruling on count 3 which nailed John Babani, before sentencing him to 10 years without fine, found the accused and his company, Al-Akim Investment Nig. Ltd. guilty of defrauding the Adamawa State government of N31, 500,000 vide his company which he used to divert the said monies meant for the Local Government joint project.
Although, the court found Elias guilty of conspiracy to cause the payment of N21, 000,000 vide Habib Bank Nig. Ltd, it, however, discharged and acquitted Inuwa Bassi of the said count.
In addition to the sentences running concurrently, John Elias Babani is to return N51, 000,000 to the Adamawa State Government joint account while his company (Al-Akim) shall pay the fine of N5, 000,000 and be wound up immediately.
But counsel to John Elias, Andrew Malgwi, of Rickey Tarfa Chambers, said his client would appeal the judgment because it was not comfortable with some aspect of the ruling.
END
Be the first to comment