*Judge sentences Ochekpe, 2 others to 3 months imprisonment
*How Diezani’s N450m largesse landed ex-Minister in trouble
A Federal High Court in Jos on Tuesday sentenced a former Minister of Water Resources, Sarah Ochekpe and two others to three months imprisonment, following their alleged involvement in N450 million fraud.
Ochekpe served as Water Resources Minister under the former President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration.
Justice Musa Kurna also sentenced Raymond Dabo and Leo Jitung to three months imprisonment each.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had brought the convicts to court and preferred N450million money laundering and conspiracy charge against them.
Ochekpe was arraigned with other two accused persons by the EFCC in 2018 for allegedly collecting N450 million from former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, in 2015.
Former acting PDP chairman in Plateau, Raymond Dabo and Coordinator of the Goodluck Johnathan campaign in the state in 2015, Leo Jatau are the two other accused persons.
They were alleged to have received N450million from Alison-Madueke to influence the electorate and the outcome of the 2015 presidential election.
EFCC’s investigations further showed that after receiving the money, the headquarters of Fidelity Bank Plc used its state branches to distribute the election loot to different individuals.
The commission called its witnesses and tendered relevant documents while Ochekpe, Dabo and Jatau filed a no case submission.
Sentencing the convicts, the judge held that after withdrawing the said amount from the bank, they did not withhold the money to themselves but delivered same to a governorship candidate, as such were not guilty of retaining the sum for themselves.
But Justice Kurna said they were guilty of withdrawing the N450 million which he said was above the threshold of an individual withdrawal.
The judge said the offence was contrary to the provisions of Section 16(1) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2013 as amended, an offence which carries a minimum of three years imprisonment or a N10 million fine.
But the judge used his discretion and sentenced Ochekpe, Jato and Jatau to three months imprisonment each and gave them an option of paying N1million each.
