Appeal Court Convicts Ex-Air Force Director
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reversed the acquittal of Air Vice Marshall Mohammed Alkali Mamu, a former chief of administration of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), who was accused by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), of receiving gratification from contractor.
The Economic and Financial Crime Commission had preferred a four count charge against Mamu for allegedly collecting a cash gift of $300,000 and N5.9 million for the purchase of Range Rover Evogue.
EFCC also alleged that he received two vehicles, Ford Expedition SUV and Jaguar XF Saloon valued at N15 million and N12 million respectively from Societe D’ Equipment Internationaux Nigeria Limited, which was said to be executing contracts for the Nigerian Air Force.
On June 29, Justice Salisu Garba of the High Court, Federal Capital Territory, in Maitaima, Abuja acquitted Mamu of all the charges on the grounds that the prosecution failed to establish a case against the defendant.
The anti-graft commission proceeded to the court of appeal, dissatisfied with the decision of the trial.
In a unanimous judgement delivered July 15, 2020, a three man panel of the court of appeal convicted Mamu on one out of the four count charges brought against him.
Mamu was convicted on count two, in which he was found to have corruptly accepted a gift of $300,000, through Kalli Fertilizer Company (a firm owned by his daughters) from Himma Abubakar, owner of Societe D’ Equipment Internationaux Nigeria Limited, a company engaged to supply military equipment to Nigerian Air Force, under Mamu’s supervision.
He was sentenced to two years in prison. However, Yargata Byenchit Nimpar, who read the lead judgement gave Mamu an option of N500,000 fine.
