Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Gudu, Abuja, on Wednesday sentenced a former governor of Taraba State, Jolly Nyame, to 14 years’ imprisonment for his acts of criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of the sum of N1.64bn belonging to the state.
The judgment marked the end of about 11 years’ trial which would be the first full-blown criminal proceedings to be conducted in a Nigerian court and ended in a guilty verdict sending a former governor to jail for a period as long as 14 years for corruption.
Nyame, whose name goes with the appellation of a church title of “Reverend.” was convicted on a total of 27 out of the 41 counts preferred against him.
He was convicted and sentenced to various terms of imprisonment with the highest being 14 years for offences bordering on criminal breach of trust, criminal misappropriation, and taking valuable thing without consideration and receiving gratification as a public officer.
The judge sentenced him to the maximum punishment of 14 years for criminal breach of trust without an option of fine, two years for criminal misappropriation; seven years for receiving gratification and five years for “obtaining valuable thing without consideration.”
The sentences were the maximum provided by the law under which the convict was charged in May 2007.:
There was no option of fine on any of the counts.
But the sentences, according to the judge, are to run concurrently.
The court also ordered that all the funds previously recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from aides to the ex-governor and other government officials involved in the scam be forfeited to the Taraba State Government.
However, upon the sentencing, Nigerian netizens littered the social media platforms with their views. Below are some of their comments:
Gimba Kakanda
Former Governor Jolly Nyame, who’s on the way to prison, would’ve made it to the Senate of a country he stole N1.64 billion from, enough money to pay close to 100,000 civil servants on minimum wage. What is sadder is, his smarter accomplices and colleagues, some having stolen much more than he did, are currently holding key positions in government.
George Omonya Daniel
All the ex-governors in the senate are looters, some have stolen much more than Jolly as you rightly said. The most annoying thing is that majority of people in their states still worship them.
Amsad Abubakar
So people like Ameachi, Kwankwaso, etc. never embezzle our money abi?
As far as this government will continue prosecuting opposition and embracing people from their side, nobody will take the fight against corruption serious..
Raji Bello
Since this is not a Supreme Court verdict, Nyame may not stay in jail and could still get to the senate. My former governor Ngilari still found his way out of prison after a similar conviction.
Peter Opara
Ex PDP gov. Rev. Jolly Nyame bags 26 yrs in prison. PDP thieves, u had bin asking 4 convictions. U wil get it plenty bw now & 2023.
Maryam Gata
The first time such a case has reached the stage of conviction. EFCC sued Nyame since 2007 and the sentencing coming now. To me, it is a belated judgement, because of the popular saying that ‘justice delayed is a justice denied’. However, it will send a message to other looters that they will no go scot free; they will be brought to book someday, no matter how long.
Temitope Temitope Aduroja
News Flash:
Ex-Taraba Governor, Jolly Nyame Sentenced To 14 Years Imprisonment For Fraud
Mytake; A big thanks to Late Umaru Musa Yar’dua.
Sunny Jack Obande
When your yesterday catches up with your today…
And Jolly Nyame goes down like a Jug of Nyamayama drink.
Oh dear.
Omotayo Aremu
Ex-Taraba State Governor Jolly Nyame jailed 14 years for misappropriating N1.6 billion. Could he have done it all alone?
Dugeri Thomas Terzungwe
If former Gov Jolly Nyame could bag 14 years imprisonment for stealing N1.6b. What is the fate of N107b looters in Benue?
Kunle Oduah
Now that Jolly Nyame has open the floodgates, let the prisoners arise… gbogbo yin le ma sewon….
As part of the anti-corruption efforts of this administration, spearheaded by the EFCC, former Governor of Taraba State, Reverend Jolly Nyame, a current member of the ruling APC, was jailed yesterday. Today again another former Governor of Kaduna State was remanded in prison. This is a very good milestone in the fight against corruption. Right from the incipience of this Buhari-led APC administration that majorly rode on the back of anti-corruption horse to win election in 2015, people have been demanding for a major conviction. Well, we have one yesterday(Jolly Nyame). And we hope to see many other ones in subsequent times.
The prison sentence of former Governor Jolly Nyame should extend its tentacles to some former officials that siphoned our money. The money should be recovered, and the culprits be sent to prison. Nigeria needs the money to fund many of its infrastructural projects. More convictions are needed.
Kudos once again to the Judiciary under President Mohammadu Buhari
PMB TILL 2023!!!
Chidi Nwafor
Jolly Nyame was today handed a fourteen year jail term.
He’s of the APC.
I’m sure they are somewhere right now working on twisting the story.
