The Supreme Court has affirmed the conviction and seven-year prison sentence imposed on former senator Albert Bassey over a N240 million fraud case, bringing to an end a prolonged legal battle.
Bassey, who represented Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District between June 2015 and January 2023, had earlier served as Commissioner for Finance in Akwa Ibom State from 2007 to 2014.
In a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Stephen Jonah Adah, a five-member panel of the apex court upheld the earlier decisions of the trial court and the Court of Appeal, which found the former lawmaker guilty and sentenced him to seven years’ imprisonment.
The Supreme Court also restored the order directing him to refund N204 million to Akwa Ibom State, ruling that the Court of Appeal erred by failing to properly uphold the restitution order earlier made by the trial court.
“The order of this court is that the conviction and sentencing imposed by the lower court on the 23 day of June 2023 on the appellant is hereby affirmed but the order of the lower court avoiding the order of restitution given by the trial court did not follow the law, so it is revised and the right order is to nullify same and thereby the restitution of sum of N204 million made by the trial court is restored,” Justice Adah held.
Bassey’s prosecution followed an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which arraigned him before Justice Agatha Okeke of the Federal High Court in Akwa Ibom on a seven-count charge bordering on corruption and bribery.
The anti-graft agency, led by prosecution counsel Ekele Iheanacho (SAN), accused the former senator of receiving bribes in the form of 12 vehicles valued at about N254 million while serving as Commissioner for Finance.
On December 1, 2022, the trial court convicted him on all seven counts and sentenced him to seven years’ imprisonment on each count, amounting to 42 years. The sentences were, however, ordered to run concurrently.
Dissatisfied with the judgment, Bassey appealed the decision, but a three-member panel of the appellate court led by Justice Raphael Chikwe Agbo upheld the conviction while introducing an option of fine — a decision later challenged at the Supreme Court.
After reviewing the appeal and arguments presented by counsel, the apex court dismissed the case and affirmed the conviction and sentence, while correcting what it described as an error in relation to the restitution order.
With the Supreme Court’s verdict, the conviction and seven-year jail term imposed on Bassey remain final, alongside the restored order directing him to refund N204 million to Akwa Ibom State.
