The former Chairman of Ogun Waterside Local Government, Abigi, Ogun State Gboyega Bakre and his Administrative Officer 1 Mr Mohammed Adeyemi Oke were each on July 24 this year sent to six months jail without option of fine on 15 counts charge bothering on misappropriation of Four million naira meant for the security of the community.
The accused persons were alleged to have collected the sum of N4,000, 000. 00 (Four Million Naira) at the rate of N250, 000. 00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) weekly from the month of September, 2005 to February, 2006 for the upkeep of mobile policemen drafted to restore peace to two communities involved in communal crisis within the Local Government.
It was however discovered that there was truly communal crisis but the policemen were taken care of by the Nigeria Police Force, Ogun State Command and that the convicted persons merely used the crisis as a subterfuge to siphon public funds for their private use.
Accordingly the 1st and 2nd accused persons were charged jointly on six counts charge for conspiracy to confer corrupt advantage upon a public officer contrary to Section 26 (1) (c) and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
The 2nd accused person was charged separately on six counts for conferring corrupt advantage upon himself contrary to Section 19 of the Act and equally charged on three counts for furnishing false returns contrary to Section 16 of the Act. Justice A.O Ajibodu of Ijebu Ode High Court in his judgement convicted the accused on all the counts of the charge and sentenced them to six months imprisonment on each of the counts without option of fine and the sentence is to run concurrently.
Folu Olamiti RC(M&E)