March 29, 2024

N254m Car Bribes: Court sentences Senate Committee Chairman on petroleum upstream to 42 years in prison

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Oredola Adeola

The Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has sentenced Senator Bassey Akpan, Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Upstream and Akwa Ibom State Young Progressives Party Governorship candidate, to 42 years in prison for corruption following his successful prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on corruption charges.

The anti-graft commission had in 2019, dragged Senator Akpan to court on a 14-count charge, for receiving bribes of 12 cars worth N254 million from an oil marketer, Olajide Omokore, during his (Bassey’s) tenure in 2010 – 2014, as commissioner for finance in Akwa Ibom State.

According to the charge sheet, Bassey received the vehicles from Omokore over a five-year period (2010-2014) in Lagos.

 

Akpan received the bribes while serving as the Akwa-Ibom Commissioner for Finance and Chairman of the Akwa-Ibom State Inter-Ministerial Direct Labour Coordinating Committee (IMDLCC).

 

On May 10, 2010, Bassey Akpan also allegedly corruptly received a BMW X5 BP worth N50 million from Omokore in December 2012 and another Infinity QX 56 BP worth N45 million from him.

 

In November 2013, the serving senator received a Toyota Landcruiser V8 BP valued at N40 million, and in March 2014, he received a Range Rover, also valued at N40 million from the businessman as well as in September 2014, another Toyota Hiace High Roof car valued at N27 million.

 

Others are the Toyota Hiace High Roof car valued at N16 million and six units of Toyota Hilux vehicles valued at N36 million.

 

The anti-graft commission claimed that the car gifts were given to Bassey by Omokore in exchange for contracts from the Akwa-Ibom Government.

 

The EFCC had in its charges said that the offences contravened Sections 63 (1)(a), 64 (1)(a), and 98(1), (a), (i) of the Criminal Law of Lagos 2011.

 

EnergyDay gathered that the Senator has been moved to Ikot Ekpene Custodial Centre in Akwa Ibom State, after the conviction to serve his 42-year jail term.

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