For Diverting N9m Worth Of Fertilizers Meant For Farmers In Ekiti, Court Jails Pastor, Islamic Cleric

They are the people who make serving God look wrong with
their devilish characters

An Ado-Ekiti Magistrate court on Thursday sentenced a 42-year-old
pastor, Anjorin Adaniki, and an Islamic cleric, Maliu Aliu, to one year
imprisonment each for diverting N9million worth of fertilizers meant for
farmers in Ekiti State.

They were arraigned for converting 1,800 bags of fertilizers
meant to be sold at subsidized rate to farmers, to their personal businesses.

Police prosecutor, Oriyomi Akinwale, had at the trial told
the court that the accused persons committed the offence between May and June
2013 at Emure-Ekiti.

“The accused persons on the said month fraudulently
converted 1,800 bags of fertilizers which was meant to be distributed to Ekiti
farmer in Emure local government at subsided rate of N2, 750 per bag and they
sold to the farmers at the rate of N3, 500 per bag which all valued at the rate
of N 9 million,” he said.

Mr. Akinwale also said that the fertilizers were in three
trailers, given by the government to ease the farmers’ difficulties, but the
accused persons fraudulently diverted them.

According to him, the offence contravened Section 1(3) of
the Advanced Free Fraud and other Related Offences Act LFN 2006.

Counsel to the accused, Ademola Okeya, pleaded with the
court to tamper Justice with mercy passing sentences on his clients, praying
the court to be lenient in judgment.

The Presiding Magistrate, Bayode Owoeye, described as
“callous” the action of the accused persons in converting the fertilizers meant
for poor farmers to for their own use against the order of the government price
to the farmers.

He thereafter sentenced them the to one year imprisonment
without the option of fine.

Premium Times