Court jails ex-Kogi lawmaker for 154 years

A federal high court in Kogi state has convicted Gabriel Daudu, a former member of the Kogi state house of assembly and ex-caretaker chairman of Ogori/Magongo local government area of the state, for N1.4bn fraud.

Daudu, who was first arraigned in April 2010, was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 208-count charge bordering on money laundering and misappropriation of public funds.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, who presided over the case, found him guilty of 77 counts and sentenced him to 154 years imprisonment.

In his ruling, the trial judge held that the prosecution proved its case beyond  reasonable doubt, and therefore sentenced Daudu to two years on each of the 77 counts to run concurrently.

Before the conviction of Daudu, prosecuting counsel, Wahab Shittu, tendered various exhibits before the court and fielded 13 witnesses to prove the case against him.