Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Supreme Court yesterday upheld the 12-year jail term imposed on former Taraba governor, Jolly Nyame over N1.6bn corruption charge. The apex court, however, set aside all fines imposed on him by the appellate court.
Delivering judgment, Justice Amina Augie held that the Court of Appeal’s decision to uphold the conviction of Nyame was apt based on available evidence. Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the FCT High Court had on May 30, 2018, convicted Nyame on a total of 27 out of the 41-count corruption charge instituted against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The trial court had convicted the appellant to a 14-year jail term for offences bordering on criminal breach of trust, criminal misappropriation, and receiving gratification while serving as governor between 1999 and 2007.
Dissatisfied with the decision of the trial court, the appellant approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja seeking the setting aside of the judgment. But the Court of Appeal on Nov.16, 218, based on the evidence before it, reduced the 14-year jail term slammed on the appellant to a 12-year jail term.
Augie who delivered the judgment written by Justice Mary Peter-Odili, said the Court of Appeal had imposed fine without any prompting by either of the parties to the case and without hearing from the appellant.