LAGOS – The Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has sentenced two Whistle-blowers to two months imprisonment each for conspiracy and giving misleading and false information.

The convicts Dominic Okem and Chukwunonso Igweonu, who were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) got the judgement on March 4th, 2021.

Pronouncing judgement on the duo who pleaded guilty, the judge, Justice I.M. Sani of the Federal High Court said in his judgement that such false information is not allowed by the Nigeria Constitution, warning others to desist.

They convicted men were arraigned by the Port Harcourt Zonal Office of the EFCC, on a two-count charges bordering on giving false information.

One of the charges read: “That you Dominic Okem and Chukwunonso Igweonu on or about the 22nd Day of January, 2021 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire between yourselves to give false information to officers of the EFCC to wilt: huge fund were found at Enu/Akwu Street, Federal Housing Estate, in Calabar Cross Rivers State, which information turned out to be false, untrue/misleading and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 39 (2) (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004.

Following their “guilty” plea, prosecution counsel, F.O. Amama prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly.

In his plea, the defence counsel. E. Wanogho prayed the court not to raise its hammer too hard as the defendants were actually carrying out their civic responsibilities in line with the whistle blowing policy of the Federal Government, regretting that the effort to expose the proceeds of crime turned out otherwise.

In his judgement, Justice Sani found the accused persons guilty as charged, convicted and sentenced them to two months imprisonment, with an option of fine of N100,000 each.

It was reliably gathered that trouble began for the convicts when they misinformed the EFCC that they saw a huge sum of money in a house, located at Enu-Aqua in Cross River State.

“When the operatives of the anti-graft agency executed a search warrant on the said property, nothing incriminating was found”, authoritative source revealed.