Ruth Adehwe Aweto V. Federal Republic Of Nigeria (2018)

LAWGLOBAL HUB Lead Judgment Report

PAUL ADAMU GALINJE, J.S.C.

The Appellant herein and one Mr. Adekanye Komolafe were provost and bursar respectively of Federal Cooperative College, Ibadan. They were arraigned before the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan charged with offences bordering on contravention of Section 17(1)(c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000. During the trial, the prosecution called five witnesses and tendered several documents in evidence. The Appellant and her co-accused testified in their defence and called additional four witnesses.

At the end of the trial and in a reserved and considered judgment, the Appellant and her co-accused were each convicted under counts 5, 6, 7 and 8 and sentenced to one year imprisonment on each count. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.

The Appellant was dissatisfied with the judgment of the trial Court. Being aggrieved, she appealed to the Court of Appeal, Ibadan, where her appeal was dismissed. She has now brought this appeal. Her amended Notice of Appeal dated 28th September, 2015 and filed on the same date contains nine grounds of appeal.

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Parties filed and exchanged briefs of argument. The Appellant’s brief of argument, settled by Oluwasina Ogungbade Esq., of counsel to the appellant was filed on the 28th September, 2015. Learned counsel initially submitted three issues for determination of this appeal. However, when the appeal came up for hearing, learned counsel withdrew the first issue for determination of this appeal. The two issue left are hereunder reproduced as follows:-

1. Whether the High Court of Oyo State had the jurisdiction to try the Appellant for the offences charged particular regard being had to the combined effects of the provisions of Sections 251(1)(p) and 251(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended)
2. Whether in the absence of proof of a corrupt intent in the preparation of the budget proposals, the prosecution successfully discharged the burden of proof under required for the conviction of the Appellant the provisions of Section 17(1)(c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

The Respondent’s brief of argument settled by George Lawal Esq., of counsel was filed on the 24th October, 2017. Learned

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counsel formulated two issues for determination of this appeal.

They read thus:-

(a) Whether or not the High Court of Oyo State had the jurisdiction to try the appellant for the offences charged under the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 having regard to the provisions of Sections 251 (1)(p) and 251(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

(b) Whether the Prosecution had proved corrupt intent as an ingredient of the offence created under the provisions of Section 17(1)(c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 to ground a convention.

Appellant filed a reply brief on 30th October, 2017. Before I delve into the submissions of learned counsel, I wish to set out in brief the facts that gave rise to this appeal, which are in my view simple and straight forward. The Appellant herein was the provost of Federal Cooperative College Ibadan. Mr. Adekanye Komolafe was the bursar of the same college. The two of them prepared and submitted nominal rolls and Budget proposals for the staff of the college for 2006, wherewith they presented 41 casual staff as permanent staff.

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