By Ise-Oluwa IGE, Abuja
The  Provost of the Federal College of Land Resources Technology Kuru, Dr Oluleke Ayoade Ogunsola , has been convicted and sentenced to two years of imprisonment by the High Court of Plateau State sitting in Jos.

Ogunsola was charged to court by the ICPC in 2006 on a four-count charge under Section 25 of the ICPC Act for making false statement.

During the course of the trial, the prosecution counsel established that  in March 2006, the Provost applied for the sum of N700,000 ostensibly to rehabilitate the College farm and for the hosting of college games.

Another sum of N700,000 was also collected by Ogunsola through Mr Chube Audu Ayuba, an official of the college, for the same purpose.

It was however discovered that the accused person did not use the total sum of N1.4 million  for the rehabilitation of the college farm and hosting of games as contained in the applications for the funds.

He diverted the money for his personal use.

In July 2006, after investigation into the matter had commenced, the Provost hurriedly retired the cash advanced to him, in his futile attempt to establish that he actually spent the money as required.

The prosecution went further to prove that at the time the accused person collected the sum of N1.4m under the pretext of rehabilitating the college farm and hosting  sporting activities, he had no intention of carrying out any repairs nor sponsoring any games.

Instead, the applications were made for the sole purpose of siphoning money from  the government purse.
In his jugdement delivered yesterday, Justice Edward Dakwak convicted Ogunsola on counts  one and two and sentenced him to two years on each of the two counts, with an option of fine of N100,000 on each count.