Viewers Corner News was informed that the Adamawa state (Nigeria) former commissioner for finance, John Babani Elias was sentenced to 10 years in prison for corruption related case on Friday, December 4, 2015.
According to our correspondent, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) instituted a case against him and Al- Akim Investment, his company which he used in carrying out this corrupt act with Inuwa Bassi. The Federal High Court in Yola (Adamawa state) where Justice Bilkisu Aliyu presided over the case found John Babani Elias guilty of defrauding the Adamawa state government of N31.5m (£105,938). This money was meant for a local government joint project and he diverted it through his company, Al- Akim Investment . The former commissioner for finance has been sent to Yola prison in Adamawa state. Again, in addition to spending 10 years in prison, Mr Babani was ordered by the court to return fifty-one million naira (N51,000,000) to Adamawa state government joint account, also his company Al- Akim investment was fined five million naira (N5,000,000) and equally ordered to wind up.
This is the first time since democracy returned to Nigeria in 1999 that a politician was given this type of punishment for corruption. This judgement will serve as a deterrent to other corrupt Nigerian politicians whose aim is to loot the country’s economy thereby leaving the Nigerian masses to suffer.
Viewers Corner News applaud Justice Bilkisu Aliyu for this judgement and we hope that other Judges in Nigeria will emulate Justice Bilkisu Aliyu in condemning corruption in Nigeria.
Source: Viewers Corner.