Lagos – A former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Dr Clement Iloh has been convicted
on a three-count charge of non-declaration of assets.
The charge was pressed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He was subsequently sentenced to 12 years in prison by Justice Baba Kuewumi of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.
Iloh was prosecuted by the EFCC on a three-count charge bordering non-declaration of assets to the tune of N97.3m.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Dr Iloh Onubuogo Clement, on the 19th day of April, 2016 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, failed to make full disclosure of your assets to wit: the sum of N97,300,613.44 (Ninety Seven Million, Three Hundred Thousand, Six Hundred and Thirteen Naira, Forty Four Kobo), which sum you warehoused in Account No 3033750243 domiciled with First Bank of Nigeria Ltd in your name and you therefore committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 27(3) (C) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004.”
At today’s proceedings, the prosecution counsel, during cross-examination of the defendant, revealed that Iloh received funds to the tune of N65 million from SURE P project contractors, which was domiciled in his personal First Bank account No:3033750243.
In the course of proceedings, the defence counsel, T.S. Awana, sought the court’s permission to confer with his client.
Thereafter, the defendant, through his counsel, applied to change his “not guilty “plea.
Justice Kuewunmi granted the application and Iloh pleaded “guilty.“
Justice Kuewumi sentenced him to four years on each of the counts and same shall run concurrently from the 10th of October 2019.”
The judge also ordered the forfeiture of N97,300,613.44, $139,575.50 and £10,121.52 respectively to the Federal Government of Nigeria, being proceeds of unlawful activities.
A statement signed by the Agency’s Spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren recalled that the EFCC had, on October 3, 2019, secured the conviction and sentencing of Iloh to five years imprisonment over a N14.1m fraud before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Ikeja Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.