Court grants jailed ex-Akwa Ibom finance commissioner bail

The Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has granted bail to a former Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Finance, Bassey Albert, who was sentenced to 42 years in prison for corruption.

Mr Albert, a serving senator and governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) in the 2023 elections, was granted bail on health grounds, TrackNews reported.

The report did not state the bail conditions.

Mr Albert is expected to be released from the Ikot Ekpene Custodial Centre on Thursday, 29 December.

According to the report, Mr Albert was taken to the University of Teaching Hospital for a check-up after his health deteriorated while serving his prison terms at the Ikot Ekpene Custodial Centre.

The senator who represents Akwa Ibom North-East District was convicted on corruption charges. He was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The anti-graft agency accused Mr 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).

He served in the administration of former Governor Godswill Akpabio.

The trial judge at the Federal High Court in Uyo, Agatha Okeke, on 1 December 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 is to run concurrently – he is to spend seven years behind bars.

The court also ordered Mr 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.

Supporters react

The State Chairperson of the YPP, Nyeneime Andy, said on Facebook, Wednesday afternoon, “Triumphant Return. OBA is coming. Join us to receive the Incoming.”

Many of Mr Albert’s supporters took to Facebook to express joy over the release of the YPP governorship candidate on bail.

One supporter, Heromac Ekanem, said on Facebook that his Christmas and New Year has just begun with Mr Albert’s release.

“Your release today is the Christmas I was praying for and God has finally answered my prayer,” another supporter of the jailed senator, Paul Antigha said on Facebook.