Court acquits former SSG, Commissioner
By Ibrahim Abdul’Aziz and
Muazu Abari, Yola
The anti-corruption war of the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration scored a major one yesterday, as a former governor of Adamawa state, Barrister Bala James Ngilari, was jailed five years by an Adamawa High Court, sitting in Yola, for failing to adhere to the state’s procurement laws.
With the jail term handed Nigilari, who was charged on September 21, 2016, the jinx that had characterised possible conviction of corrupt former governors, since the return of democracy in 1999, may have been broken.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) secured the conviction of the former governor over the award of contracts worth N167.8 million, without recourse to due process.
Ngilari was arrested by the commission and arraigned before the state High Court on a 19-count charge, bordering on fraudulent award of contract.
The contract, the anti-graft agency had alleged, was fraudulently awarded to El-Yadi Motors Limited, to supply 25 units of Toyota Corolla vehicles for the Adamawa state government.
He faced the criminal charges alongside two others -a former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ibrahim Andrew, and an ex- Commissioner for Finance and Budget, Sanda Lamurde.
In a 75-minute ruling, Justice Nathan Musa found the former governor guilty of four charges, and discharged him on one, which bordered on conspiracy.
The judge, however, discharged and acquitted both the former SSG and commissioner, who were second and third defendants in the case, for want of prosecution.
Handing down the sentence, the Justice Musa said the law stipulated that the “convict shall not be given an option of fine.”
He sentenced the former governor to five years in prison, and gave the convict the privilege of serving out his term in any prison of his choice, adding however that, “but for now, he should start with Yola prison.”
Describing the former governor’s action as executive lawlessness, the trial judge said the five year term was the least he could give Ngilari, whose lawyer, Samuel Toni (SAN), pleaded for leniency “in view of his (Ngilari) invaluable contribution while he was the governor of the state during the trying moment of insurgency.”
The judge expressed hope that Ngilari’s conviction and sentence would serve as a deterrent to serving governors who do not regard due process in the conduct of government’s business.
“It is my hope that this conviction and sentence will serve as deterrent to serving governors,” he further ruled. Speaking to newsmen before he was taken away from the court, Ngilari said he would appeal the sentence.
