A Gombe State High Court has sentenced one Sunday Ogar to three years in prison for diverting mosquito nets provided by funds from the Global Fund, an international donor organization based in Geneva.
According to the Economic And Financial Crimes Zonal Office in Gombe State, Mr Sunday Ogar was arraigned before Justice Abubakar Jauro of the Gombe State High Court on two counts bordering on “misappropriation and forgery”.
Sunday Ogar was arrested on October 29, 2018 following the outcome of investigations into the diversion of “long lasting” insecticide mosquito nets meant for distribution to 40 Primary Health Care Centres across Dukku Local Government Area in the state.
The materials were diverted by the convict while being an ad-hoc staff of a logistics company. The company was contracted for the distribution of 106 bales of the nets, each containing 50 pieces. The convict distributed 92 bales and diverted 14 bales.
The nets were provided through funds from the Global Fund (an international donor organisation based in Geneva). Collaborators were the Catholic Relief Service and National Malaria Elimination Program, and the Federal Government being a contributor. Gombe State in general and Dukku Local Government in particular are part of the beneficiaries.
Sunday Ogar was arrested by EFCC operatives at the point of selling the nets at Nasarawa area of Gombe following an intelligence report by some concerned citizens of the state. Same properties were intercepted and brought to court as exhibits during the trial.
Sunday Ogar later pleaded “guilty” to the charges.
In view of his guilty plea, the prosecuting counsel, S.E. Okemini presented a witness, Antai Uya, an EFCC detective, through whom several exhibits were presented against him.
Justice Jauro, thereafter, convicted and sentenced him to one year imprisonment for count one and two years imprisonment on count two, to run consecutively.
However, he was given an option of N50,000 and N120,000 as fine for the charges.