A Federal High Court in Jos has sentenced Sarah Ochekpe, a former Minister of Water Resources, to prison for an N450 million money laundering fraud.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s Minister, Ochekpe, was sentenced with Raymond Dabo, the former chairman of the People Democratic Party in Plateau state, and Leo-Sunday Jitong, the Plateau State Coordinator of the Jonathan Campaign Organization.
The three defendants have been on trial since 2018 in a case of money laundering and conspiracy involving over N450 million brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice H. M. Kurya of the Federal High Court in Jos, Plateau State, found the trio guilty and sentenced them to six years in jail each on an amended three-count charge of conspiracy and money laundering.
Some oil corporations and former Petroleum Resources Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, were accused of receiving N450 million from the bank via cash and wire transfer to influence the outcome of the 2015 presidential election.
An investigation revealed that on March 26, 2015, a new generation bank withdrew N450 million from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and delivered it over to the defendants in cash after they signed for collection.
The defendants claimed they gave the money to late Senator Gyang Pwajok, the Plateau State PDP Governorship candidate in 2015, but they provided no proof to back up their claim.
The defendants were found guilty on count one of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2012 (as amended), of conspiring to accept cash payments above the threshold, and were sentenced to three (3) years in jail and a fine of N2,000,000.00 (Two Million Naira) apiece.
On count two, the defendants were found guilty and sentenced to three (3) years in jail, with the possibility of a fine of N2, 000,000 (Two Million Naira) for each defendant. The sentences must be read in order. More information and more stories can be found on the EFCC’s website, www.efccnigeria.org.
Stay tuned…
