Whistleblowers bag three months imprisonment for false information

Justice O.A. Musa of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Bwari, Abuja on Thursday convicted the trio of Lawal Umar, a 45 year-old property agent; Alexander Danjuma, a 43-year-old mechanic and Theophilus Omambala, a 47-year-old engineer for giving false information to operatives of the Abuja Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The defendants allegedly gave false whistleblowing information to operatives of the EFCC that monies were stashed in the residence of one Audu Innocent Ogbe located at Lugbe, a suburb of Abuja.

They had pleaded ‘not guilty’ upon arraignment.

But at today’s hearing the defendants changed their pleas to ‘guilty,’ having entered a plea agreement with the prosecution.

Consequently, the prosecution counsel, Aliyu Bokani Usman urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants.

However, defense counsel A.I. Na-Jirgi prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that the convicts were first time offenders and had become remorseful.

Justice Musa sentenced them to three month imprisonment with the option of N50, 000 (Fifty Thousand Naira) fine each.