The EFCC on Monday, November 13, 2017, secured the conviction and sentencing of the duo of Mohammed Dogonyaro Audu and Yahaya Yusuf Ayodeji, former staff of the office of the Accountant General of the Federation. They were convicted by Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, sitting in Jabi, Abuja.
The convicts were prosecuted on a 10-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy and complicity in award of contract to the tune of N1billion (One Billion Naira).
Trouble started for the duo after they allegedly abused their offices by floating companies through which they cornered contracts emanating from the Economic Reforms and Governance Project, ERGP, and Government Integrated Financial Management Information System, GIFMIS, domiciled in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.
Audu and Ayodeji had pleaded not guilty to the charge when they were arraigned on May 26, 2015, thereby setting the stage for their trial.
In the course of the trial, counsel to the EFCC, Cosmas Ugwu, presented three witnesses and tendered relevant documents which were all admitted in evidence.
Delivering his judgment, Justice Halilu said the prosecution had proved its case beyond any reasonable doubt and opined that as public servants, the convicts abused their offices and warned other public servants to learn their lessons.
“I am not expected to remove or add anything before me. They (Audu and Ayodeji) took advantage of their offices and did what they did. For me, I do what my conscience and the law direct me to do”, the judge judged.
He thereafter found Audu guilty on count 1 to 10 and sentenced him to 70 (Seventy) years imprisonment without an option of fine. While Ayodeji was found guilty on count 1, 3, 4, 5 and 9 and sentenced to 35 Thirty five) years imprisonment. The years are to run concurrently.
