Robbers Bag 7 Years Imprisonment For Stealing Property Of Former President Jonathan’s Wife Worth N100m

Posted on March 31, 2023

MICHAEL AKINOLA

It had appeared a big hit for robbers who conspired and burgled the home of wife of Nigeria’s former President, Dame Patience Jonathan, as they carted away property worth about N100m and escaped before they were arrested in Rivers State.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has convicted and sentenced the two robbers, Praise Gelson and Usman Garba, to seven years imprisonment for breaking into the home of a former first lady, Patience Jonathan, to steal valuables worth millions of Naira.

The Presiding Judge, Justice Adolphus Enebeli, also convicted and sentenced one Tamunoala Alatoru to six months in prison for failure to perform her duties.

The convicts were first arraigned in Court in November 2022 on three counts of conspiracy, armed robbery, and attempted murder of the former President’s wife.

The trial judge, Justice Enebeli, found the first and third defendants, Gelson and Garba, guilty of armed robbery and attempted murder, noting that the prosecution counsel proved his case beyond reasonable doubt.

Justice Enebeli also ruled that the prosecution proved his case against the second defendant, Alatoru, particularly on negligence in her duties and sentenced her to six months in prison.

P.M.EXPRESS had reported that the former First Lady, Mrs. Jonathan, lost properties worth whopping sum of money sometime in September 2022 after the robbers burgled her home, carted away the items and escaped in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Four of the suspects were later arrested by the Police and charged before the Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt on November 2022 for conspiracy, burglary, stealing and attempted murder.

They pleaded not guilty.

The trial commenced and was concluded, which led to the judgement by the trial judge who found Gelson, Alatoru, Garba guilty of the offences accordingly.

They have been remanded in custody at the Correctional Centre, where they will serve their various jail terms and thereafter will be freed to benefit from their loot as there was no record that they returned what they stole.