Skip to main content

Bizarre Judgment: Supreme Court Grants Bail To Convicted Council Boss Serving Jail Term

Daudu, who was also a member of the State House of Assembly, was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on charges bordering on money laundering and misappropriation of public funds to the tune of N1.4 billion.

Reprieve came the way of a former Caretaker Chairman of Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area of Kogi State House Gabriel Daudu as the Supreme Court on Thursday, July 6, 2017 granted bail to convicted council boss.

Daudu, who was also a member of the State House of Assembly, was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on charges bordering on money laundering and misappropriation of public funds to the tune of N1.4 billion.

He was found guilty by a Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja of 77 out of 208 counts and consequently sentenced to two years on each of the counts. The sentence was to run concurrently. 

Dissatisfied with his conviction, Daudu approached the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal praying the court to set his conviction aside.
However, in a unanimous decision on Wednesday, March 1, 2017 the appellate court upheld the ruling of the lower court and dismissed Daudu’s appeal as “unmeritorious and lacking in merit.”

Still not satisfied, Daudu proceeded to the Supreme Court, praying to be admitted to bail pending the determination of the appeal before it.

After due consideration of arguments by Joseph Daudu, SAN, and Wahab Shittu representing the appellant and the respondent (EFCC) respectively, the apex court admitted Daudu to bail with two sureties in the sum of N2 million each.

The sureties must have landed property and must be resident in the FCT.

Duadu, who is currently serving his prison sentence in Koton-Karfe is expected to complete the sentence in August.

Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
July 6, 2017

Image