Guilty As Charged – Supreme Court Upholds Conviction of Jolly Nyame

The Supreme Court has upheld the conviction and 12-year prison sentence handed to a former governor of Taraba State, Reverend Jolly Nyame, for stealing public funds.

The five-man panel of Justices of the apex court led by Justice Mary Odili, in a unanimous decision, said it found no reason to set-aside concurrent judgements of both the trial court and the Court of Appeal, which found Nyame guilty of embezzlement and money laundering.

READ: Internet Fraud: EFCC Arrests Eleven Suspects in Enugu

While delivering the lead judgement, Justice Amina Augie held that appeal Nyame filed to challenge his conviction and sentence, lacked merit and also held that the appellate court was wrong to also impose fine against the convict for the financial crime he committed against the state.

Justice Adebukola Banjoko of an Abuja High Court had on May 30, 2018, found Nyame guilty on 27 out of the 41-count money laundering charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC).

The former governor was sentenced to 14 years byn the trial court for criminal breach of trust, 2 years for misappropriation, 7 years for gratification and 5 years for obtaining valuable public properties without consideration.

READ: Alleged Money Laundering: Internet Big Boy Mompha Gets N100m Bail

The appellate court however on November 16, 2018, reduced the sentence which is running concurrently, to 12 years, 5 years, 4 years and one-year and nine months, respectively, with fines ranging from N100m to N5m.