The Supreme Court of Nigeria on Friday, February 27, 2026, upheld the conviction and seven-year prison sentence earlier imposed on former Senator Albert Bassey for fraud.
The apex court also ordered him to refund N204 million to Akwa Ibom State.
The decision was disclosed in a statement issued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The judgment of the five-member panel was delivered by Justice Stephen Jonah Adah.
According to the court, after reviewing the appeal filed by Bassey, it resolved to affirm the decision of the Court of Appeal. However, it restored the order of restitution earlier made by the trial court but set aside by the appellate court.
“The order of this court is that the conviction and sentencing imposed by the lower court on the 23 day of June 2023 on the appellant is hereby affirmed but the order of the lower court avoiding the order of restitution given by the trial court did not follow the law, so it is revised and the right order is to nullify same and thereby the restitution of sum of N204 million made by the trial court is restored,” Justice Adah ruled.
Bassey was initially prosecuted by the EFCC through its counsel, Ekele Iheanacho (SAN), before Justice Agatha Okeke of the Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. He was charged for receiving bribes in the form of 12 cars valued at N254 million while serving as Commissioner for Finance in Akwa Ibom State.
On December 1, 2022, he was convicted on all seven counts and sentenced to seven years imprisonment on each count, amounting to a total of 42 years.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, Bassey appealed the judgment. The Court of Appeal, in a decision delivered by a three-member panel led by Justice Rapheal Chikwe Agbo, upheld the conviction but introduced an option of fine.
However, the Supreme Court set aside aspects of the appellate court’s decision and restored the restitution order made by the trial court.
