A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos State sentenced Illoh to four years imprisonment each on three counts charges bordering on non-declaration of assets.
A former Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Clement Illoh, was on Thursday sentenced to 12 years in prison for allegedly stealing from the Nigerian government.
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos State sentenced Illoh to four years imprisonment each on three counts charges bordering on non-declaration of assets.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Illoh before Justice Babs Kuewunmi of the Federal High Court, Lagos.
In the first count, the court heard that the defendant on April 19, 2016, in Lagos failed to make full disclosure of assets to the tune of N97.3million, an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 27 Subsection 3C of the EFCC Establishment Act of 2004.
In the second count, he was accused of failing to disclose the sum of $139,575, while in the third count, he failed to disclose assets worth £10,121.
Justice Kuewunmi sentenced Illoh after the accused changed his "not guilty" plea to "guilty", four years after the prosecution closed its case.
Illoh made the U-turn on Thursday after an intensive cross-examination from the EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, revealed that Illoh received funds to the tune of N65million from SURE P project contractors to his personal First Bank account no: 3033750243.
The court held, "I have given due attention to the allocutus of the defendant. However, the court will not fail to perform its duty in accordance with the provisions of the law. Consequently, the defendant is hereby sentenced to four years in each of the counts and same shall run concurrently from the 10th of October 2019.”
The judge also ordered the forfeiture of the sum of N97,300,613.44, $139,575.50 (N57.9 million) and £10,121.52 (N5 million) respectively to the Federal Government of Nigeria being proceeds of unlawful activities.
Amid the court proceedings, defence counsel, T.S. Awana sought the court's permission to confer with his client, following which he applied for the defendant to change his plea.
Justice Kuewunmi granted the application and Illoh pleaded guilty.
He was subsequently convicted and sentenced to four years imprisonment on each of the counts running concurrently.
The sentence is the second time in three years that Illoh has been convicted of fraud.
On October 3, 2019, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Ikeja Special Offences sentenced Illoh to five years in prison for stealing N14.1million from the Nigerian government.