Fraud: How court handed Nggilari 5-year jail term
Adamawa State former governor, Bala Nggilari, has spent his first day in prison as his lawyers battle to appeal the five-year sentence handed down to him by a court in Yola yesterday.
Justice Nathan Musa of the Adamawa High Court convicted Nggilari on five of the six count corruption charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Nggilari was charged along with former Secretary to the Government, Ibrahim Weyle and ex-commissioner of finance, Sanda Lamurde
The three were accused of violation of due process in purchase of 25 official vehicles for commissioners at a cost of N167.8 million.
Weyle and Lamurde were however acquitted of the charges and set free.
Justice Musa said the governor refused to follow the provisions of the Procurement Act in respect of the contract for purchase of the 25 vehicles.
Just before sentencing, Ngilari’s counsel, Samuel Toni (SAN) had pleaded for leniency for his client whom he said had served the state faithfully in difficult times of escalating insurgency attacks.
Justice Musa ordered that Nggilari be sent to Yola Prison until he chose in which prison in the country he wanted to serve his jail term.
The judge said the fiveyear jail term is the minimum penalty for the offence committed by Nggilari.
The judge warned serving state governors against abuse of due process in the conduct of government businesses, saying government should not be run as personal estate.
In a terse response to the press men who approached him when he was about to be whisked to Yola Prison, Nggilari said he would appeal the judgement.
The court room was filled to capacity as sympathisers including family members and officials who served in his administration trooped to witness the judgement.
Nggilari looked shocked as Justice Musa read out the sentence while many sympathizers shook their heads in disbelief.
Some of his friends and former aides moved closer to him and offered consoling words before prison warders took him to prison.
Nggilari served as deputy governor to Murtala Nyako who was impeached by the state Assembly in 2014 after Nggilari resigned his position to escape impeachment alongside his boss.
A court ruling had invalidated his resignation in October 2014 and returned him as substantive governor to complete the remaining seven months of Nyako’s term which ended May 2015.
Kano based Human rights activist Barrister Abubakar Sani, during a telephone interview with Daily Trust yesterday said that the former governor must go to jail with immediate effect.
He said Ngilari cannot escape it (jail) because there is nothing like a stay of execution in this case.
Barrister Sani however noted that the only option open to Nggilari is to go to court by way of a motion, adding that the same court or a Court of Appeal may grant such motion.
He said it would take at least two days before the motion could be filed and a date to be fixed for the hearing of the motion for bail pending appeal.
Former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu is facing case of alleged diversion of about N3.2 billion state funds between 1999 and 2007. The case is before a Federal High Court in Lagos. Trial is yet to commence.
Former Governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim was arraigned in 2015 by EFCC over alleged concealment of asset.
Former Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State is being tried alongside his son and others for alleged diversion of N29 billion public funds at an Abuja Federal High Court.
Ahmadu Umar Fintiri, former acting governor of Adamawa State is also on trial before an Abuja Federal High Court over alleged laundering of N2.9 billion public funds.
Former Governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye was arraigned by the EFCC before an FCT High Court on alleged N1.162 billion ecological fund fraud. Case now for defence.
Rev Jolly Nyame, former governor of Taraba State is facing charges of money laundering before an FCT High Court over alleged laundering of the sum of N2.64 billion during his tenure between 1999 and 2007. Case now for defence.