PRINCE LUKMAN O. AJOSE V. FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA

OKORO JCA (Delivering the Lead Judgment): The appellant, the erstwhile Chairman of Lagos Island Local Government, Lagos, was arraigned on 17 July 2007 before Oyewole, J. of the Lagos State High Court on a six count charge of using his office to confer a corrupt advantage upon himself by collecting various sums of money for meetings and conferences which he never attended any. He pleaded not guilty to the charge. The prosecution called six witnesses after which the appellant made a no case submission which was overruled. The appellant later gave evidence on his own behalf. At the end of the proceedings, the learned trial Judge acquitted the appellant in counts 3 and 4 and convicted him in counts 1, 2, 5 and 6 and sentenced him to 2 years imprisonment without option of fine. The said judgment was delivered on 31 March 2010.

Dissatisfied with the conviction and sentence handed down by the learned trial Judge, the appellant filed notice of appeal dated 15 April 2010 on 16 April 2010. Thr…