Ex-Governor Bags Five Years Jail Term

The former Governor
of Adamawa State, Bala James  Ngilari is to serve a jail term of five years for N167.8m contract scam.
Ngilwri, who was governor of the State from  October 1, 2014 and May 2015, was found guilty of violating the state procurement law.
Justice Nathan  Musa of the Adamawa High Court did not give Ngilari an option of fine Nigilari was convicted for awarding N167.8m Contract  for the supply of 25 units of Toyota  Camry 2.8 to a contractor known  only to the ex-governor. No other government official  knows about  the transaction.
The former governor was found  guilty of  17 count charges levelled against him by Economic  and Financial  Crimes Commission (EFCC) for awarding contract with out due  process.
Although the former governor  said he would  appeal the decision,  the court said he was free to choose  between Yola Main Prison or any other prison  in the country.
The judge acquitted  the former secretary to the State Government,  Andrew Welye; former  Commissioner  for Finance, Sanda Lamurde, who stood trial  with the former governor on the same charges.
EFFC Acting Chairman, Ibrahim  Magu, investigated  Ngilari and established a Prima a facie case against  him.
Justice Musa delivered a 75 minute judgment  in Yola,  which sealed Ngilaro’s fate.
Relying on section 58 subsection (5) of the Adamawa State Bureau for Public Procurement, Violating the law is liable  to a minimum  of five years imprisonment without an option of fine.
He said, “Court cases are decided based on evidence before the court and not on the opinion of the counsel.