Money Laundering: Court Jails Former Minister, Sarah Ochekpe

A former Minister of Water Resources, Sarah Ochekpe, has been jailed for six months over conspiracy and money laundering.

The Federal High Court Jos Division jailed the former minister, Deputy Director for Goodluck/Sambo 2015 election campaign and former Acting Chairman of PDP, Plateau State and one other after finding them guilty on Tuesday.

Naija News reports that Ochekpe, Raymond Dabo and Leo Sunday had been standing trial for four years over alleged conspiracy and money laundering.

The trio was convicted by Justice H. M. Kurya of the Federal High Court, Jos, Plateau State, on an amended three-count charge bordering on conspiracy and money laundering launched by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

They were alleged to have received the sum of N450million from Fidelity Bank Plc through cash and wire transfer by some oil companies and former Petroleum Resources Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, to influence the outcome of the 2015 presidential election.

Investigation showed that, on March 26, 2015, the sum of N450million was withdrawn from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, by Fidelity Bank Plc Jos main branch and it was handed over to the defendants in cash after they signed for collection.

Though the defendants claimed that they handed over the money to late Senator Gyang Pwajok, the Plateau State PDP Governorship candidate in 2015, they, however, failed to provide any evidence to support the claim.

The defendants were convicted on count one, bordering on conspiracy to accept cash payment above threshold under the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2012 (as amended) and sentenced to three (3) years imprisonment with an option of ₦2,000,000.00 (Two Million Naira) fine each.

On count two, the defendants were convicted and sentenced to three (3) years imprisonment with an option of ₦2, 000,000 (Two Million Naira) fine each.

The judge ruled that the sentences are to run consecutively and thereafter discharged and acquitted them on count three which borders on retention of funds.