A judge sentenced Donald Trump to an unconditional discharge Friday for covering up hush money payments to a porn star despite the US president-elect’s last-ditch efforts to avoid becoming the first felon in the White House.

The judge spared Trump prison or a fine even though the 34 counts of falsifying business records on which he was convicted in May 2024 carried potential jail time.

Instead New York judge Juan Merchan handed down the mildest criminal sanction available, an unconditional discharge — a relatively uncommon measure.

“Never before has this court been presented with such a unique and remarkable set of circumstances,” said Merchan.

“The only lawful sentence that permits entry of a judgment of conviction without encroaching on the highest office of the land is an unconditional discharge.”

Trump attended his sentencing virtually, with the judge, lawyers and media packed into the scruffy Manhattan courtroom that was the backdrop to the trial’s high drama, legal wrangling and vitriolic personal attacks by the divisive Republican.

“This has been a very terrible experience. I think it’s been a tremendous setback for New York and the New York court system,” Trump said before the discharge was passed.

Attorney Todd Blanche (L) and US President-elect Donald Trump, seen on a television screen, appear virtually for sentencing after Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts in his hush money criminal trial last year, at the Manhattan criminal court on January 10, 2025 in New York. (Photo by Jabin Botsford / POOL / AFP)

“It was done to damage my reputation, so I would lose the election.”

The former president appeared on screens in the courtroom with two large US flags behind him, wearing a red tie with white stripes and looking on impatiently as the brief proceeding unfolded.

Ahead of the sentencing, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass said Trump had been convicted of a “premeditated and continuous deception.”

“The verdict in this case was unanimous and decisive and it must be respected,” he said.

The trial saw Trump forced to look on as a string of witnesses testified that he had fraudulently covered up illicit payments to porn star Stormy Daniels in an effort to stop her disclosing their tryst ahead of the 2016 presidential election, which he ultimately won.

Trump had sought a suspension of the criminal proceedings after a New York State appeals court dismissed his effort to have the hearing delayed.

But the Supreme Court ruled that the sentencing could proceed.

Prosecutors opposed the effort to stave off sentencing, 10 days before Trump is due to be sworn in for a second term, arguing it was wrong for the apex court to hear the case when the mogul still had avenues of appeal to pursue in New York.

– First presidential conviction –

An unconditional discharge is a measure without any sanctions or restriction that nonetheless upholds the jury’s guilty verdict — and Trump’s infamy as the first former president to be convicted of a felony.

Attorney Todd Blanche (L) and US President-elect Donald Trump, seen on a television screen, appear virtually for sentencing after Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts in his hush money criminal trial last year, at the Manhattan criminal court on January 10, 2025 in New York. (Photo by Jabin Botsford / POOL / AFP)

The 78-year-old Trump had potentially faced up to four years in prison.

“He’s sticking his middle finger at the judge, the jury, the system of justice, and laughing,” said Pace University law professor and former prosecutor Bennett Gershman ahead of the sentencing.

Outside the courthouse, Trump supporters held a giant banner emblazoned with their idol’s name that was buffeted by high winds. There was also a small vigil of anti-Trump demonstrators behind a hoarding reading “Trump is guilty.”

Trump’s counsel had argued sentencing should have been postponed while the Republican appealed his conviction, but New York state Associate Justice Ellen Gesmer rejected that on Tuesday.

Trump repeatedly called the prosecution a “witch hunt” which Steinglass said was “designed to have a chilling effect.”

“This defendant has caused enduring damage to public perception of the criminal justice system,” the career prosecutor said.

Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche said he “very, very much disagree with much of what the (prosecution) just said.”

Trump was certified as the winner of the 2024 presidential election on Monday, four years after his supporters rioted at the US Capitol as he sought to overturn his 2020 defeat.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has officially received $52.88 million in recovered Galactica assets linked to former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, from the United States of America.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), disclosed this development during the formal signing ceremony of the asset recovery agreement between Nigeria and the U.S. government in Abuja on Friday.

In his address, Fagbemi revealed that $50 million of the recovered funds will be channeled through the World Bank to finance rural electrification projects across the country.

The remaining $2.88 million will be allocated to the International Institute of Justice to strengthen Nigeria’s justice system and bolster anti-corruption initiatives.

“This asset return represents a significant milestone in the ongoing collaboration between Nigeria and the United States in combating corruption and upholding the rule of law,” Fagbemi stated.

He further emphasised that the recovery aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to tackling corruption and promoting accountability in governance.

The Attorney-General commended the efforts of both nations in ensuring the successful recovery and transparent management of the funds, noting that it sets a precedent for future partnerships in asset recovery and anti-corruption efforts.

Also speaking at the event, the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, stressed the importance of accountability and transparency in the management of the recovered assets.

He urged Nigerian authorities to ensure that the funds are effectively utilised for the benefit of the Nigerian people.

Ambassador Mills reiterated the U.S. government’s continued support for Nigeria’s anti-corruption drive and called for the diligent monitoring of how the recovered funds are deployed to foster sustainable development.

The management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has announced that corps members across the country will soon begin receiving ₦77,000 as their monthly allowance.

The Director General of the NYSC, Brigadier General YD Ahmed, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja, according to a statement issued by the NYSC spokesperson, Caroline Embu.

General Ahmed emphasized that the welfare of corps members remains a top priority for his administration, noting that arrangements for the payment of the new allowance have been finalized.

The increase in corps members’ allowances is in line with the recent review of Nigeria’s minimum wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000, which was signed into law by President Bola Tinubu in July 2024.

This development marks the second major adjustment in corps members’ stipends in recent years. In 2020, the NYSC increased the allowance from ₦19,800 to ₦33,000 following the implementation of the ₦30,000 minimum wage.

The latest increment reflects the government’s commitment to improving the living standards of Nigerian youths serving their country under the NYSC scheme.

President Tinubu’s signing of the new minimum wage bill in July 2024 came after months of negotiations between government authorities, labor unions, and private sector stakeholders. The adjustment aims to address inflationary pressures and improve the economic well-being of workers across the country.

The NYSC has assured corps members of its continued commitment to their welfare and development as they contribute to national unity and service.