Whistle-Blower Gets 2yrs In Prison For ‘Lying’ That Lawmaker Hid Money In Farm

Justice Angela Otaluka of an FCT High Court Apo on Monday sentenced a 29-year old whistle-blower, James, to two years in prison for giving false information with the intention of misleading the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission.

The judge, however, noted that the convict had spent two years in custody and as such, has been deemed to have served his sentence.

The convict was charged to court in 2017 on two counts of knowingly providing false information and giving a false name.

He was prosecuted by the ICPC.

The ICPC Counsel, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, told the court that sometime in September 2017, James gave false information concerning a lawmaker who hid money on his farm.

The convict was said to have claimed that he had personal knowledge of the transfer of a huge sum of money from Abuja to a poultry farm in Niger State by his boss.

Akponimisingha further informed the court that James gave his name as John which was later realised to be a false name.

Although the convict had pleaded not guilty to the charge, the case suffered some setbacks and adjournments as he had no legal representation for several months while he was in custody.

The trial, however, subsequently commenced after a lawyer was provided for the convict.

Defence Counsel, Isioma Kelubia, however, argued that the law on which the convict was arraigned are repealed laws.

She argued that the laws had been struck out from the laws of ICPC.

In her judgment, Otaluka, however, dismissed the claim by saying that as long as the elements of the crime are contained in the constitution, the charges can stand.

After listening to a very brief allocutus (plea for mercy) by defence counsel who urged the court to temper justice with mercy as he was a first time offender, the court sentenced him accordingly.

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NAN