A Federal High sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state capital and presided over by Justice Okeke has sentenced the governorship candidate of Young Peoples Party (YPP) senator Bassey Albert to 42 years in imprisonment for corruption.
Albert who was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has whisked away from the court premises to Ikot Ekpene Correctional Centre where he would serve his prison terms
Senator Albert, a serving senator representing Akwa Ibom North East District, was accused of receiving bribes for 12 cars worth N254 million from an oil marketer, Olajidee Omokore, during his (Albert’s) tenure (2010 – 2014) as commissioner for finance in Akwa Ibom State.
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The convicted senator was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, the ruling party in the state before he defected months ago to the YPP, where he secured the party’s ticket for the 2023 governorship election.
Delivering judgement on the matter on Thursday, Justice Okeke recalled that the convict Albert was a Commissioner for Finance in the state when the crime was committed.
“That you Albert Bassey (whilst being the Commissioner for Finance, Akwa Ibom State and Chairman of Akwa Ibom State Inter-Ministerial Direct Labour Coordinating Committee (IMDLCC) sometime in December 2012 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, indirectly took possession of a vehicle (Infinity QX 56 BP) valued at N45, 000, 000.00
At the instance of one Olajide Jones Omokore (whose companies had contracts with Akwa Ibom State Government at that material time), when you reasonably ought to have known that the said vehicle formed part of proceed of unlawful activity (to wit: corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act”. she said.
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