The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Monday sent an ex-Air Force chief, Air Vice Marshal Alkali Mohammadu Mamu to two years in prison.
The judgment by the appellate court is a reversal of the initial acquittal granted the convict at the FCT high court. The conviction was however with an option of fine in the sum of 500 thousand naira.
The former air chief had been earlier acquitted of corruption charges against him by Justice Salisu Garba of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
As the former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Holding Company and Air Force Commanding, Training Command, the ex-Air Force chief was accused of abusing his position and corruptly enriching himself through unlawful acceptance of cash gifts.
Convicting him, the Appeal Court found the accused guilty of corruptly accepting a gift of 300, 000 dollars through Kalli Fertilizer Company ( a firm owned by his daughters) from Himma Abubakar, owner of Societe D’Equipment International Nigeria Limited (SEI Nigeria Ltd), a company engaged to supply military equipment to NAF, under Manu’s supervision.
The former military boss had earlier been indicted by the Presidential Committee on the Audit of the Defence Equipment Procurement (CADEP) which was instructed to investigate all contracts for military procurement.