Senator Akpan on December 29, 2022, approached a Vacation Court in Port Harcourt and secured a post-conviction bail on health grounds.
By Jeffrey Agbo
A Court of Appeal sitting in Calabar, Cross River State, on Friday, upheld the conviction of Senator Bassey Akpan on money laundering charges by a Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State and ordered his arrest.
Spokesman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Wilson Uwujaren, made this known in a statement.
Uwujaren said that Justice Agatha Okeke, on December 1, 2022, found Akpan guilty of seven counts of money laundering preferred against him by the EFCC and sentenced him to 42 years imprisonment, without an option of fine.
The then governorship candidate of the Young Progressive Party (YPP) was prosecuted on an allegation of receiving vehicles valued at N240 million as bribe from companies linked to one Olajide Omokore.
The statement said Omokore, a contractor, executed a N3 billion contract for the Government of Akwa Ibom State while Akpan was Commissioner for Finance and Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Direct Labour Coordinating Committee.
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“The offence contravenes Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and is punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act,” it added.
The statement further said, “However, dissatisfied with the judgment, Senator Akpan on December 29, 2022, approached a Vacation Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, presided over by Justice S. I. Mark of the Federal High Court and secured a post-conviction bail on health grounds.
“But upon release from prison, Senator Akpan continued with his campaign to be governor of Akwa Ibom State and subsequently approached the Appellate Court in Calabar to set aside the judgment of Justice Okeke.
“While arguing against the appeal, counsel to the EFCC, Ekele Iheanacho urged the Court to uphold the judgment of the lower court, dismiss the appeal and revoke the said bail granted to Senator Bassey on the grounds that ‘the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and the charge was validly filed.’
“Delivering judgment, the three-man panel of the Appellate Court, led by Justice Raphael Chikwe Agbo, upheld the conviction of Senator Akpan but varied the sentence by granting the appellant an option of fine.
“The Court also affirmed that the appellant should restitute the sum of N240 million to the Federal Government through the EFCC and that the said restitution shall not be a prerequisite for his release from the correctional facility.
“The Court revoked the bail and ordered the arrest of Senator Akpan.”
