Alleged $1.6b Money Laundering: Court Sentences 2 Ex-NNPC Directors To 2 Years Imprisonment Each

Justice Nnamdi Digmba of the Federal High Court, Abuja on Thursday, February 9, 2023 sentenced the duo of Victor Briggs and Abiye Membere, both former top officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC to two years imprisonment each after he found them guilty for “Unethically collecting car gifts as public officials,” an offense which contravenes Section 98 of the Criminal Code Act.
They were convicted on Tuesday, February 7 but the court reserved sentencing till today, February 9, 2023.
When the matter resumed today, the convicts through their counsel, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, while O.A Atolagbe who held the brief of lead prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, urged the court to impose custodial sentence on the defendants.
Justice Dimgba sentenced the convicts to two years imprisonment each with an option of N2m fine each, to be paid immediately to the Federal government.
The convicts were prosecuted by the EFCC for conspiracy in inducing the NPDC to facilitate the lifting of crude by Olajide Omokore, Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Limited; and receiving car gifts from Omokore and his companies.