Supreme Court Affirms Seven-Year Jail Term for Senator Albert Bassey Over N240m Fraud
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has affirmed the conviction and seven-year prison sentence of Senator Albert Bassey over a N240 million fraud case prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to a post by the EFCC on its official Facebook page, the apex court, in a judgement delivered on Friday, February 27, 2026, upheld the earlier decisions of both the trial court and the Court of Appeal, confirming Bassey’s conviction and sentence while restoring an order for financial restitution.
The decision was delivered by a five-member panel of the Supreme Court led by Justice Stephen Jonah Adah after reviewing the appeal filed by the former lawmaker.
The court held that while the Court of Appeal rightly affirmed the conviction, its failure to uphold the restitution order earlier granted by the trial court did not follow due legal procedure.
“The order of this court is that the conviction and sentencing imposed by the lower court on the 23rd day of June 2023 on the appellant is hereby affirmed, but the order of the lower court voiding the restitution order given by the trial court did not follow the law. It is therefore revised and nullified, and the restitution of the sum of N204 million made by the trial court is restored,” Justice Adah ruled.
The Supreme Court consequently ordered Senator Bassey to refund N204 million to the Akwa Ibom State Government.
Bassey’s legal troubles began following his prosecution by the EFCC, led by prosecution counsel Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, before Justice Agatha Okeke of the Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
He was charged with receiving bribes in the form of 12 vehicles valued at N254 million while serving as Commissioner for Finance in Akwa Ibom State.
The trial court convicted him on all seven counts and sentenced him to seven years’ imprisonment on each count, amounting to a total of 42 years, in a judgement delivered on December 1, 2022.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, Bassey appealed the decision. A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Raphael Chikwe Agbo, upheld the conviction but introduced an option of fine before the matter proceeded to the Supreme Court.
With the latest judgement, the apex court has now affirmed the conviction and reinstated the restitution order, bringing the prolonged legal battle to a close.
