Ex- Perm Sec Bags 12 years Jail Term For N97.3M Fraud

 

On Thursday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) secured the conviction and sentencing of Clement Illoh, a former Permanent Secretary at the ministry of 
Labour and Productivity for fraud.

He was found guilty of a three-count charge bordering on non-declaration of assets to the tune of N97.3m.

One of the charges reads:
“That you, Dr. Illoh Onubuogo Clement, on the 19th day of April, 2016 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, failed to make full disclosure of your assets to wit: the sum of N97, 300, 613. 44 ( Ninety Seven Million, Three Hundred Thousand, Six Hundred and Thirteen Naira, Forty Four Kobo), which sum you warehoused in Account No 3033750243 domiciled with First Bank of Nigeria Ltd in your name and you therefore committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 27(3) (C) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004.”

The prosecution counsel disclosed to the court during cross-examination that the sum of N65m from SURE P project contractors was received into Illoh’s personal First Bank account number: 3033750243.

T.S. Awana, his defence counsel, took permission from the court to discuss with his client after which the accuse changed his plea of ‘not guilty’ to ‘guilty’.

The application was granted.

The ruling was delivered by Justice Babs Kuewumi of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi Lagos where Illoh was sentenced.

Part of the judgment reads:

“Consequently, the defendant is hereby sentenced to four years in each of the counts and the same shall run concurrently from the 10th of October 2019.”

The sum of N97, 300,613.44, $139,575.50 and £10,121.52 was also ordered by the Judge to be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria, as proceeds from unlawful activities. 

This case of non- disclosure of assets has been in court since November 30, 2017 when Illoh filed an application to stop his trial.

But the application was dismissed.

The offence is punishable under Section 27 sub-section 3c of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act, 2004.