UPDATE: Court jails Senator Bassey 42 years over graft, money laundering

Justice Agatha Okeke of the Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has sentenced Senator Bassey Albert to 42 years in prison over charges of graft and money laundering.

Justice Okeke found Senator Albert, the governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) in the state, guilty of the charges levelled against him and convicted him accordingly.

The senator representing Akwa Ibom Northeast (Uyo) senatorial district in the National Assembly, was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on six-count charges bordering on money laundering.

Albert was accused of receiving a bribe of 12 cars worth N254 million from an oil marketer, Olajidee Omokore, during his (Albert’s) tenure (2010 – 2014) as commissioner for Finance in Akwa Ibom.

The maximum sentence for each count is fourteen years but the judge sentenced him to seven years for each of the six counts.

The judge, who ruled out an option of a fine, ordered him also to return N204 million as restitution to the Federal Government after serving the sentence.

The Defence counsel, Solomon Offiong (SAN) pleaded that the court tampers Justice with mercy and includes an option of a fine.

But EFCC opposed the plea, citing legal authority to convince the court not to give a fine as an option of fine, particularly in light of the fact that the court has not opted for the maximum sentence.

Senator Albert was elected on the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but defected earlier in the year to YPP, where he secured the party’s ticket for the 2023 governorship election.

He was a major challenger to the PDP candidate, Umo Eno, in next year’s governorship election in Akwa Ibom State.

He has been taken to Ikot Ekpene prison, Akwa Ibom State, to begin his prison term. Read more.

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