Two former top officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Victor Briggs and Abiye Membere, have been sentenced to two years imprisonment by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
Justice Nnamdi Digmba handed them the sentence on Wednesday, February 8, 2023, after he found them guilty of “unethically collecting car gifts as public officials,” an offense which contravenes Section 98 of the Criminal Code Act.
Justice Dimgba sentenced the convicts to two years imprisonment with an option of N2million 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
One of the charge reads: “That you, Olajide Jones Omokore, Atlantic Energy Brass Development LTD, Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept LTD and Kolawole Akanni Aluko (now at large) between May 2013 and March 2014 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court obtained by false pretense and with intent to defr@ud, 7,551,867 barrels of crude oil (Brass blend) valued at the sum of $823,75,189.95 from Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Federal Government of Nigeria on the false pretence that you had funds (both local and foreign) necessary to support the NPDC in petroleum operation for the OML 60, 61, 62 and 63 and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(a) of the Advance Fee Fr@ud and Other Fr@ud Related Offences Act Cap. A6, 2010, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria and puni§hable under Section 1(3) of the same Act”.
