A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Thursday sentenced a former permanent secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Dr Clement Illoh, to four years’ imprisonment for non-declaration of assets.

Justice Babs Kuewunmi sentenced Illoh who changed his “not guilty” plea to “guilty” four years after the prosecution closed its case.

“I have given due attention to the allocutus of the defendant. However, the court will not fail to perform its duty in accordance with the provisions of the law. Consequently, the defendant is hereby sentenced to four years in each of the counts and same shall run concurrently from the 10th of October 2019,” Justice Kuewunmi held

The judge also ordered the forfeiture of the sum of N97,300,613.44, $139,575.50 (about N58m) and £10,121.52 (about N4,453,000) respectively to the Federal Government of Nigeria being proceeds of unlawful activities.

Illoh was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a three-count charge.