The Supreme Court of Nigeria has affirmed the conviction and seven-year prison sentence handed to former senator Albert Bassey in a N240 million fraud case, effectively ending his prolonged legal battle.
In a unanimous ruling delivered by Justice Stephen Jonah Adah, a five-member panel of the apex court upheld the decisions of both the trial court and the Court of Appeal, which had earlier found Bassey guilty of corruption-related offences. The court also reinstated an order requiring him to refund N204 million to the Akwa Ibom State Government.
Justice Adah, reading the lead judgment, held that although the Court of Appeal rightly upheld the conviction, it erred in setting aside the restitution order made by the trial court. The Supreme Court consequently nullified that aspect of the appellate court’s ruling and restored the order directing the repayment of N204 million.
Bassey represented Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District in the Senate from June 2015 to January 2023, following his elections in 2015 and 2019. Before his tenure in the National Assembly, he served as Commissioner for Finance in Akwa Ibom State between 2007 and 2014.
His legal troubles began after his prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The anti-graft agency arraigned him before Justice Agatha Okeke of the Federal High Court on a seven-count charge bordering on corruption and bribery.
Prosecutors, led by Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, accused the former finance commissioner of receiving bribes in the form of 12 vehicles valued at N254 million during his time in office.
On December 1, 2022, the trial court convicted Bassey on all seven counts and sentenced him to seven years’ imprisonment on each count, totalling 42 years. However, the sentences were ordered to run concurrently, effectively translating to a seven-year term.
Although the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction and introduced an option of fine, the matter proceeded to the Supreme Court for final determination.
With the apex court dismissing his appeal and restoring the restitution order, Bassey’s conviction, seven-year jail term, and the directive to refund N204 million to Akwa Ibom State now stand as final.
