Dr Clement Illoh, a former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Productivity, was sentenced to 12 years in prison by a Federal High Court in Lagos.
On each of the three counts involving non-declaration of assets, he was sentenced to four years in prison.
Illoh was sentenced by presiding Judge Babs Kuewunmi after he changed his “not guilty” plea to “guilty” four years after the prosecution’s case was closed.
“I have paid close attention to the defendant’s plea. The court, on the other hand, will not fail to carry out its duties in accordance with the law. As a result, the defendant is hereby sentenced to four years in each of the counts, which will begin on October 10, 2019,” Justice Kuewunmi said.
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The judge also ordered the Federal Government of Nigeria to forfeit the sums of N97,300,613.44, $139,575.50, and £10,121.52 as proceeds of unlawful activities.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was investigating Illoh on three counts.
According to the first count, the defendant failed to make full disclosure of assets worth N97.3 million on April 19, 2016, in Lagos, an offence punishable under Section 27 Subsection 3c of the EFCC Establishment Act of 2004.
He was charged with failing to disclose assets worth $139,575, and failing to disclose assets worth £10,121 in the third count.
He reversed his position on Thursday after an EFCC prosecutor revealed that Illoh received funds totaling N65 million from SURE-P project contractors to his personal First Bank account number 3033750243.
Mr T.S. Awana, the defendant’s lawyer, requested permission from the court to confer with his client in the middle of the proceedings, after which he applied for the defendant to change his plea.
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Illoh pleaded guilty after Justice Kuewunmi granted his request.
As a result, he was found guilty and sentenced to four years in prison on each of the four counts.
Illoh has now been convicted of fraud for the second time in three years.
On October 3, 2019, Illoh was sentenced to five years in prison by Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo, who presided over an Ikeja Special Offences Court.
Federal Government forfeits N94 million, $139,575, and £10,121.52.
