Senate President, Akpabio’s Ally Bags 42 Year Jail term

An ally of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Senator Bassey Albert has bagged 42 years jail term for receiving N254million bribe.

Senator Bassey Albert was convicted on corruption charges by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in December 2022.

The Appeal Court sitting in Calabar on Friday affirmed the Federal High Court judgement.

The anti-graft agency accused Albert of receiving bribes for 12 cars worth N254 million from an oil marketer, Olajide Omokore when he (Mr Albert) was serving as finance commissioner (2010 – 2014) under Senator Godswill Akpabio.

Senator Albert Bassey represented Akwa Ibom North-East District in the 9th National Assembly.

The trial judge at the Federal High Court in Uyo, Agatha Okeke, convicted the senator on all the six-count charges against him and sentenced him to seven years in prison for each charge, totalling 42 years.

The term was to run concurrently – he is to spend seven years behind bars.

The court also ordered Albert to repay N204 million to the state as a condition for his release after serving out the jail term.

The senator appealed his conviction then and was subsequently granted bail.