Former lawmaker, Onamusi Onadeko is set to appeal his conviction for making inconsistent statements during investigation after the FCT High Court sitting in Abuja discharged and acquitted him on 10 out of 11 counts bordering on alleged corruption and diversion of
public funds.

The appeal follows the July 30th judgement by Justice Chizoba Orji, who found him guilty on one count of making inconsistent statements during an Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) investigation and sentenced him to nine months imprisonment with an option of a N50,000 fine.

His legal team had in a statement signed on Monday by his lead Counsel, Wahab Olatoye in Abuja, said he is set to file an appeal against the lone conviction, insisting that the verdict would be challenged.

According to Olatoye, the court discharged and acquitted the former lawmaker on 10 counts after finding out that the prosecution failed to establish the allegations preferred against the defendant.

The former lawmaker who represented Ogun East Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives between 1999 and 2003 was arraigned by ICPC in 2017 over alleged irregularities in the execution of N68.7m constituency projects while serving as a Senior Legislative Aide to the late Senator Buruji Kashamu between 2015 and 2019.

The anti-graft agency had alleged that Onadeko used two private companies Stanton Engineering limited and Haines & Baines limited to execute constituency projects involving the procurement of ambulance vehicles, supply of hospital equipments and drugs to primary health care Centres and also the construction of classrooms in six communities in Ogun East Senatorial district.

Earlier, the ICPC spokesperson, John Odey had in a statement said that Justice Chizoba Orji found Onadeko guilty of count 11 for making inconsistent statements but acquitted of counts 2,3,4,6,7,8,9 and 10.

He also said the court held that Onadeko’s letter of appointment, together with the Supreme court’s decision in the case of the Federal Government of Nigeria Vs Farouk Lawan, established that Legislative aides are public officers within the (ICPC) Act.

“In the suit marked FCT/HC/CR/311/17, the court discharged and acquitted Hon. Onamusi Onadeko in 10 counts out of 11 preferred against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) since 2018.

“In delivering the Judgement, the court relied heavily on evidence of PW1,PW2,PW3 and PW4 with the prosecution witnesses who testified that the defendant had no capacity and did not in any way influence the award of the contract to his companies.”

“However, the court convicted him with an option of a fine of N50,000 on count 11 relating to alleged statements made under duress during the investigation by the ICPC.We have received instructions to immediately file an appeal against the lone conviction of making inconsistent statements.”Odey said.