The former Chairman of Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State and two-time commissioner in the state, Mr. Jimoh Enesi, has been sentenced to six months imprisonment for money laundering by a federal high court sitting Lokoja.
Delivering his judgement yesterday at the Federal High Court, Lokoja, in a 16-count charge brought against the ex-council boss, the trail judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, sentenced Enesi over the misappropriation of N7million contract money.
On other counts of forgery and perjury being emphasised by the EFCC legal counsel, Justice Ekwo said the prosecution has to prove beyond reasonable doubt, but that it has failed to call the former commissioner and the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, who purportedly signed the letter to give evidence as witnesses.
He noted that the prosecution only relied on statements by the commissioner and the permanent secretary, which are not admissible in law, adding that this amounts to hearsay in the eye of law.
The judge noted that Enesi was convict for the misappropriation of N7 million of a borehole contract in 10 wards of the council, adding that he could not account for N7 million during the trial.
Meanwhile, the ex-Chairman, Mr. Jimoh Enesi, will be cooling off in prison, pending the process of his appeal in the appellate court.
Counsel to the accused person, Mr. Humphrey Olu Agunbiade, told journalists that the defence will appeal the judgement.