Year in Review: List of Nigerian Politicians Sentenced to Prison in 2022
When people who occupy important political seats are jailed, it usually grabs the headlines. Such situations, to a great extent, show the independence of the judiciary.
Though Nigeria’s judiciary is battling many challenges, it has managed to convict and jail numerous influential politicians over the years.
Source: Facebook
The outgoing year, 2022, is no different. Here are some influential politicians jailed in the year winding up.
Senator Bassey Akpan
Bassey Akpan, the governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) in Akwa Ibom, was on Thursday, December 1, sentenced to 42 years imprisonment for corruption.
PAY ATTENTION: Join Legit.ng Telegram channel! Never miss important updates!
Justice Agatha Okeke of the Federal High Court in Uyo gave the verdict.
The federal lawmaker who represents Akwa Ibom North-East was convicted on six charges bordering on money laundering filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Senator Peter Nwaoboshi
In July, the Court of Appeal in Lagos convicted and sentenced Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, representing Delta North Senatorial District, to seven years imprisonment.
The appellate court gave the verdict on Friday, July 1.
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.
The ruling followed the success of the appeal by the EFCC which challenged a Federal High Court judgment which had earlier discharged and acquitted the senator of a two-count charge of fraud and money laundering.
Chuma Nzeribe
In May, Chuma Nzeribe, a former member of the House of Representatives, was also convicted of impersonation by a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court.
The conviction stemmed from the four-count charge slammed against him by the EFCC.
The charges bordered on false pretence, forgery and using forged documents as genuine, and cheating by impersonation.
Nzeribe could not, however, be sentenced due to his absence in court.
Abidemi Rufai
Unlike others previously listed, Abidemi Rufai, the suspended aide of Dapo Abiodun, governor of Ogun state, was sentenced to prison in the United States.
A US district court sentenced him to five years in prison for fraud in September 2022.
Rufai was sentenced for stealing over $500,000 funds meant for COVID-19 pandemic relief in the US.
Senator Ike Ekweremadu (remanded, not yet convicted)
Senator Ike Ekweremadu is facing charges bordering on conspiracy to arrange/facilitate the travel of another person with a view to harvest his organ in the United Kingdom.
He was arrested by the London Metropolitan Police in June and has been detained since.
The former deputy Senate president will spend the Christmas and New Year's Day celebrations behind bars after his bail application was refused at the Central Criminal Court, a.k.a. Old Bailey, on Tuesday, December 20.
Ekweremadu’s application for "dismissal of charges" of conspiracy to facilitate organ harvesting of David Nwamini's kidney was also thrown out alongside those of his wife, Beatrice and their daughter, Sonia.
Doyin Okupe convicted, paid fine
Doyin Okupe, the former director-general of Peter Obi's presidential campaign was in December sentenced to two years imprisonment for breaching the Money Laundering Act.
He was, however, given an option of N500, 000 fine on each of the 26 count charges for which he was found guilty, totalling the sum of N13 million.
Okupe swiftly paid the fine and avoided going to jail.
Source: Legit.ng
