The Supreme Court of Nigeria gave Sen. Peter Nwaoboshi a break on Thursday in Abuja when it changed the date of the hearing for his appeal against his seven years in prison for corruption.
The apex court accepted a motion on Thursday to move the hearing date for his appeal against the conviction from its original November 24, 2024, date to February 9, 2023.
Through his lawyer, Kanu Agabi SAN, a former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Nwaoboshi had begged the Supreme Court to hear his appeal against his detention as soon as possible.
During the application’s argument, Agabi told the court’s panel of judges, which is led by Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Olukayode Ariwoola, that his client is a current Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The senior lawyer asked that his client’s appeal be heard quickly. The appeal challenges the seven years of jail time that the Lagos Court of Appeal gave him on July 1, 2022.
The senator who was found guilty may be forced to serve out his sentence before the Supreme Court can rule on whether or not he is innocent, which is the basis for Agabi’s plea for a fast-track hearing.
Also, it was said that Nwaoboshi was running for the Senate in Delta North in the National Assembly elections in February.
He talked about Nigerians whose convictions and sentences were changed after they had already served their time in prison. He said that this is worrying.
The Chief Justice, in a brief decision, changed the earlier November 24, 2024, date to February 9, 2023, to determine the Senator’s guilt or innocence in the corruption charges brought against him. This was done in response to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, or EFCC, and other parties’ requests, which were not objected to.
On July 1 of last year, the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal threw Nwaoboshi into prison for seven years.
On a two-count accusation of fraud and money laundering, the senator who represents the Delta North Senatorial District was found guilty.
According to Section 22 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act of 2021, the court also ordered the dissolution of his two companies, Golden Touch Construction Project Limited and Suiming Electrical Limited.
