Justice Adebukola Banjoko, of an Abuja High Court has convicted five Directors of the Rural Electricity Agency over their involvement in a contract scam leading to the award of a N5.2bn rural electrification project.
Those convicted are former Directors of Rural Electricity Agency, namely Engr. Samuel Ibi Gekpe, former Managing Director; Simon Kirdi Nanle, an accountant in REA; Engr. Kayode Orekoya, Director of Projects; Abdusamad Garba Hahun, Assistant Director and Kayode Oyedeji, Head of Legal Department. While the court upheld the “no-case” submission lodged by Dr. Abdullahi Aliyu and subsequently discharged and acquitted him, the court dismissed the application of Gekpe, the first defendant, which had challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the charge.
However the court stated that the Federal Government did not incur any loss and the prosecution could not prove that the defendants diverted funds meant for rural electrification project to their personal use.The 1st defendant was sentenced to three years imprisonment with an option of N5m fine payable within one month, while the 3rd- 6th defendants were sentenced to three years imprisonment with an option of N500,000 fine each.
Unfortunately, the Judge used discretion carelessly and gave them an option to pay a few shillings fine They stole billions of Naira but will stay out of prison by paying paltry fines This is a charade of a conviction