News

Former governor jailed

Published

10 years ago

March 6, 2017

Adamawa former Governor Bala Ngilari has been sentenced to five years imprisonment for corruption.

He was convicted by an Adamawa state High court on Monday after he was found guilty on all five counts of conspiracy preferred against him.

National Daily gathered that Ngilari had awarded contract amounting to the tune of N167,812,500 for the purchase of 25 units of operational official vehicles for the state without compliance with due process.

Delivering judgment, Justice Nathan Musa, discharged and acquitted Sanda Lamorde and Ibrahim Welye, who stood trial with him but found sufficient evidence to convict Ngillari and handed five years imprisonment.

National Daily further learnt that the judge based his conviction of the former Governor on section 58(5) of the Public Procurement Acts, saying “the law hands of the laws are tied to convict any person found guilty of breach of procurement acts to be sentenced to less than five years imprisonment.

Justice Nathan said, “The convict is sentenced to a cumulative sentence of five years, cumulatively on all the five counts to any jail in this country of his choice. But, in the meantime, he will be held here in the Yola Prison.”

The former governor has accepted the verdict even though he intends yo appeal the judgment. “I accept the judgement with good faith without hard feelings to anyone.”

The case against Ngillari, who ruled Adamawa following ex-Governor Murtala Nyako, under the Peoples Democratic Party former, was filed by the ruling All Progressive Congress government led by Mohammed Jibrilla.