JUST IN: Court Convicts Two Officers From The Office Of The Accountant-General Of The Federation.

The convicts, who were procurement officers in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in July 2016. Audu was arraigned on 10 counts, while Ayodeji faced five counts, both bordering on conspiracy, abuse of office and awarding contracts to companies in which they had interests, among others. The convicts were brought pursuant to Section 26 of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission Act 2000, punishable under Section 12 of the same Act. They were in charge of a World Bank project known as Government Integrated Financial Management Information System, an economic reform governance project. Justice Yusuf Halilu, in his judgment, sentenced Audu to seven-year imprisonment on each of the 10 counts, amounting to 70 years. Halilu also sentenced Ayodeji to seven years each on each of the five counts, amounting to 35 years’ imprisonment. He said the convicts took advantage of their positions as procurement officers to perpetrate the criminal acts via the World Bank project]]>