Court jails ex-Gov Ngilari for 5yrs, without option of fine (Updated)

A former governor of Adamawa State, Bala James Ngilari was on Monday jailed for five years without an option of fine.

The sentence was handed down by Justice Nathan Musa of Adamawa State High Court.

Ngilari was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on a 17 count criminal charge bordering on award of contract without due process to the tune of N167.8 million.

Justice Musa had ruled in September last year that Ngilari be remanded in EFCC’s custody, for violation of procurement laws in the award of the contract to one El-Yadi Motors Limited for supply of twenty-five Toyota Corolla 2015 model vehicles

He was arraigned before Justice Musa sometime in 2016 by the EFCC alleging that he conspired with his former Secretary to the State Government, Ibrahim Andrew Walye and Finance Commissioner, Jonathan Lamorde, to award the contract without following the procurement process.

They however pleaded not guilty to all the charges read against them. During the trial, the prosecution called six witnesses and tendered 52 exhibits.

Count two of the charge reads that “you, BALA JAMES NGILARI sometime in January, 2015 while being the Executive Governor of Adamawa State at Yola, Adamawa State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did approved a contract in favour of one El-Yadi Motors Limited to the tune of N167,812,500.00 for the procurement of Twenty Five (25) Units of operational vehicles, Toyota Corolla (1.8litres) 2015 model without obtaining ‘No objection’ certificate from Adamawa State Bureau of Public Procurement.”

Read also:  KANO: Court remands ex-gov’s fan for releasing song without permission

In his ruling, Justice Nathan held that the prosecution proved the charge of procurement fraud beyond reasonable doubt.

According to the judge “it might have been a different story if the memo was raised for the procurement of the vehicles in order to give them to security personnel and not to commissioners”.

He also stated that all the evidences given by the prosecution witnesses and documents tendered were never challenged by the defense counsel.

“All the allegations are criminal in nature and the onus of proof is on the prosecution to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt, as well as it is clearly indicated that the provision of the Adamawa state Bureau for Public Procurement law, 2013 was violated in the award of the contract. I am therefore convinced that the prosecution proved 5 count charges out of 17 brought before the court and the accused is hereby convicted as charged”, the judge ruled.

The judge, however, discharge the two other accused persons: Ibrahim Andrew Walye, former SSG and Sanda Jonathan Lamorde, former finance commissioner as, according to him, they acted under instructions of the convict.

He therefore sentenced the convict to five years imprisonment on all the five counts without an option of fine.

Ngilari told newsmen while being taken away from the court that he would appeal the sentence.

RipplesNigeria ….without borders, without fears

Click here to download the Ripples Nigeria App for latest updates

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now