December 01, (THEWILL) – The governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), in Akwa Ibom State, Bassey Albert, has been sentenced to 42 years in prison for fraud.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in 2019, arraigned Albert on a six-count charge.
He was alleged to have taken possession of six vehicles worth N204 million when he was finance commissioner in the state.
Albert was said to have collected one of the vehicles from Olajide Omokore, an associate of Diezani Alison Madueke, former minister of petroleum, during his tenure as commissioner for finance (2010 – 2014).
Omokore reportedly had dealings with the state when he offered Bassey the vehicle.
Delivering judgement on Thursday, Agatha Okeke, the presiding judge, found the senator guilty. He was sentenced to Ikot Ekpene prison to serve his jail term.
Albert, a serving senator, representing Akwa Ibom North-East district, was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), before he defected to the YPP to contest the 2023 governorship election in the state.
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