A Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, the Oyo State
capital has handed a 120-year imprisonment without option of fine to a
professor of Plant Reading and former Executive Director, Institute of
Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Ibadan, Benjamin Ogunmodede
along with two others for diverting N177 million meant for salaries and projects.
Two others sentenced with Ogunmodede are Zackeus Tejumola
and Adenekan Clement who were chief accountant and employee during his tenure.
The three were charged on a 16-count-charge bordering on
conspiracy, unlawful conversion and stealing of the institute’s subventions.
The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) in 2014 arraigned the accused for diverting
N177 million of the N600 million received as subventions from the Federal
Government to pay salaries and execute projects at the school.
Justice Ayo Emmanuel, who delivered the judgment, said 40
years jail term for each of the three would run concurrently, noting that the accused persons confessed to have induced
the releases.
The judge ruled that bribery and money laundry were
punishable offences under the law, while the punishment was to serve as
deterrent to those who might be contemplating on mismanaging public funds and
rehabilitation platform for the accused.
Counsel to EFCC, Nkereuwem Anana, said the ruling affirmed
that the country was still consistent to taming corruption in the land.
However, counsel to Ogunmodede, Tunde Olupona, though
admitted that the judgment was very fair to all parties, noted that the legal
team would review the verdict.
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