Whistle-blowers bag 3 months imprisonment

By Nimot Sulaimon

Justice O.A. Musa of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, on Thursday, convicted three whistle-blowers for giving false information to operatives of the Abuja Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The trio – Lawal Umar, a 45-year-old property agent; Alexander Danjuma, a 43-year-old mechanic and Theophilus Omambala, a 47-year-old engineer allegedly told the EFCC of monies stashed in the residence of one Audu Innocent Ogbe located at Lugbe, a suburb of Abuja.

They had pleaded ‘not guilty’ upon arraignment.

But at today’s hearing, the defendants changed their pleas to ‘guilty’, having entered a plea agreement with the prosecution.

Consequently, the prosecution counsel, Aliyu Bokani Usman urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants.

However, defence counsel A.I. Na-Jirgi prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that the convicts were first-time offenders and had become remorseful.

Justice Musa sentenced them to three months imprisonment with the option of N50, 000 (Fifty Thousand Naira) fine each.