The defendants were accused of fraudulently facilitating the withdrawal of N119.7 million from the account of the agency, domiciled in Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
A federal high court has sentenced former directors of the Rural Electricity Agency (REA) to various jail terms for being involved in a N5.2 billion scam.
Justice Adebukola Banjoko sentenced Samuel Ibi Gekpe, former Managing Director of the agency; Simon Kirdi Nanle, the agency’s accountant; Kayode Orekoya, Director of Projects at the agency; Abdusamad Garba Hahun, Assistant Director; and Kayode Oyedeji, the agency’s Head of Legal Department.
The defendants were convicted and sentenced with Gekpe handed a three-year jail term with an option of N5 million fine.
Orekoya, Hahun and Oyedeji were sentenced to three years imprisonment with an option of N500,000 fine each.
However, a former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Power, Dr. Abdullahi Aliyu, who is the second defendant, was discharged and acquitted.
The defendants were accused of fraudulently facilitating the withdrawal of N119.7 million from the account of the agency, domiciled in Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged them with criminal breach of trust in fraudulently awarding the contract for Grid Extension and Solar Electricity from the amended 2008 Budget of REA.