Nigerian Tribune Tuesday June 22, 2010
Ex-NDLEA boss, Lafiaji, aide jailed 23 years •For corruption

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Written by Akeem Nafiu, Lagos Tuesday, 22 June 2010

The former Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Alhaji Bello Lafiaji and his Personal Assistant, Usman Amali, were, on Monday, sentenced to a cummulative jail term of 16 and seven years respectively by a Lagos High Court, presided over by Justice Olusola Williams.

The duo were found guilty of using their offices to confer corrupt advantage upon themselves and sentenced accordingly.

The judge, while delivering judgment in the 24- month-old trial, held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, saying she found the two accused persons guilty of conspiracy and abuse of office.

The court convicted Lafiaji on counts one, two, three, four, six and seven while Amali was convicted on counts one, two, three and five respectively. However; the sentences are to run concurrently.

Lafiaji was sentenced to four years each on counts one and two while he bagged two years each on counts three, four, six and seven.

Amali was sentenced to four years on count one while he bagged one year each on counts two, three and five.

Justice Williams held that Lafiaji conspired with his personal assistant to illegally received the sum of 164,300 Euros from one, Ikenna Onochie, a suspect with the NDLEA in order to release him and his vehicles from custody.

“The action of the defendants to carry out their unlawful action is not in doubt. There was an agreement between them to do what they did.

“The prosecution has proved that the release of Ikenna Onochie was irregular,” the court held.

The court, while acknowledging that the former NDLEA boss did all he could to elevate the standard of the agency, regretted that he allowed the love of money to tarnish his hard-earned reputation.

In addition, Justice Williams observed that Usman Amali, [second defendant] also followed the biddings of his master [Lafiaji] blindly.

The court held that the testimony of Samuel Gadzama, the first prosecution witness was credible and acceptable adding that his testimony did not change and did not contradict himself under cross examination.