An Appeal Court sitting in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, on Thursday, May 11, reversed the jail sentence of former director-general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Raymond Omatseye on allegations of N1.5 billion.
The presiding judge, Justice Yargata Nimpar, who read the decision of the court, ruled that the high court which tried Mr. Omatseye on allegations of N1.5 billion, did not properly evaluate the evidence before it.
Recall that a Lagos High court presided over by Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia had on May 20, 2016, sentenced Omatseye to five years in jail over an alleged N1.5 billion contract scam.
The high court had found Omatseye guilty of 24 out of the 27 charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
However Omatseye’s five years jail term over an alleged N1.5 billion contract scam, was overturned today by Justice Yargata Nimpar
“The prosecution should not ride roughshod over the constitution.
“The judiciary will do the war on corruption more harm by declaring someone a criminal, where no offence has been committed
“I find merit in the appeal. The conviction is hereby set aside and the appellant is hereby discharged and acquitted,” Justice Nimpar ruled.
