Court Sentences Prominent Nigerian Senator to 7 Years in Prison

• A Nigerian senator from Delta state, Peter Nwaoboshi, has been convicted of money laundering by the Court of Appeal in Lagos
• The appellate court sentenced the senator to seven years imprisonment and ordered that his two companies be wound up
• Senator Nwaoboshi who is representing Delta North Senatorial District had earlier won at a Federal High Court before the EFCC secured the conviction at the appeal court

Lagos, Nigeria - The Court of Appeal in Lagos has convicted and sentenced Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, representing Delta North Senatorial District, to seven years imprisonment.

The EFCC in a statement via Facebook said the appellate court gave the verdict on Friday, July 1.

Legit.ng gathers that the court also ordered that the senator's two companies, Golden Touch Construction Project Ltd and Suiming Electrical Ltd, be wound up in line with the provisions of Section 22 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2021.

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Peter Nwaoboshi: How EFCC secured the conviction

Legit.ng gathers that the Appellate Court’s ruling followed the success of the appeal by the EFCC which challenged a Federal High Court judgment which discharged and acquitted the senator of a two-count charge of fraud and money laundering.

The anti-graft agency had arraigned the three defendants over the acquisition of a property named Guinea House, Marine Road, in Apapa, Lagos, for N805 million.

"Part of the money paid to the vendor, precisely a sum of N322 million transferred by Suiming Electrical Ltd on behalf of Nwaoboshi and Golden Touch Construction Project Ltd , was alleged to be part of proceeds of fraud," the EFCC said.

But in his judgment, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court held that the EFCC failed to call vital witnesses and tender concrete evidence to prove the elements of the offences for which it charged the defendants.

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He said the evidence of PW2 “proved that the third defendant obtained a loan of N1.2 billion from Zenith Bank for purchase of additional equipment and as provision of working capital.

“It also proved that the loan of N1.2 billion together with interest of N24 million was properly granted to the third. Nothing else was proved by the complainant or prosecutor in this case,” the judge said.

He claimed a fatal blow was dealt the case of the prosecution by its failure to call officials of Sterling Bank “to testify and probably tender exhibits F and F10”.

Consequently, he discharged and acquitted the defendants.

Appeal court overturns judgement

However, ruling on the EFCC’s appeal on Friday, the Court of Appeal held that the trial judge erred in dismissing the charges against the respondents.

It added that the prosecution had proved the ingredients of the offence and consequently found the defendants guilty as charged.

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Nigerians react

Mohammed Aliyu said on Facebook:

"Good one EFCC. Please continue to follow this Public looters, they are the course of the current stage of the country."

Attahir Abdullahi commented:

"May GOD bless the chairman of the EFCC and the all EFCC staff an I wish you will expand your effort to other corrupt politicians."

Bashiru Jika said:

"Hope to see more. Kudos to the judge for making and excellent work without fear and favor."

Anthony Chukwunweike Chinye said:

"Good job please go after them all and don't be selective in ur prosecutions. God bless u all for a job Weldon."

Land scam: EFCC arrests, arraigns another top Govt ex-official

In another report, the EFCC has arrested and arraigned Kayode Odeyemi, a former deputy comptroller of correctional service before a high court in Bwari, Abuja.

According to the commission's director of media and publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, Odeyemi was arraigned for crimes bordering on land fraud.

In the charges filed against Odeyemi, the commission claimed that he defrauded one Joseph N. Emelieze of N6,500,000 in 2019.

Source: Legit.ng