Federal High Court sentences Membere, Briggs to prison

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced an ex-Group Executive, Exploration and Production of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Abiye Membere and a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC), Victor Briggs to two years imprisonment each.

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba had, in a judgment on February 7, convicted Membere and Briggs for accepting gifts of Mercedes Benz and Range Rover cars from a businessman, Jide Omokore, whose companies –
Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Limited – were given contracts to lift and sell crude oil under the administration of Goodluck Jonathan.

The judge held that the prosecution’s evidence proved that Briggs and Membere accepted gifts as public officers, from parties in contractual agreement with their employer (the Federal Government)

Justice Dimgba, who relied on the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) convicted Membere and Briggs under Section 98 of the Criminal Code Act for official corruption.