Last week, we hear say dem don charge Donald Trump wit a crime
Last week, we hear say dem don charge Donald Trump wit a crime.
Now we know say di former US president dey face 34 counts of falsifying business records.
Although dem dey usually treat falsifying records as lesser wrongdoing, Oga Trump also dey accused of committing felony offences. Dat one na more serious crime, wey fit include jail term if dem give maximum sentence.
"For di main one, dis case today na one wit allegations like so many of our white-collar cases," New York City District Attorney Alvin Bragg tok for di charges im office bring against di former president.
"Allegations say pesin lie, again and again, to protect dia interests and evade di laws wey hold all of us accountable."
Former president Donald Trump appear for di Manhattan Criminal Courthouse on Tuesday to formally face charges afta im indictment by a grand jury last week.
Donald Trump plead not guilty to 34 felony criminal charges during im court hearing for New York.
Di former US president bin commot di court afta di hearing wey last for almost one hour.
Di Judge, Juan Merchan no issue am gag order - but ask both sides to mind dia language and expression.
Trump - dey run for di presidency for 2024 - e dey released by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Im be di first former U.S. president to be charged wit a crime, in a case involving hush money payments to an adult-film actress.
Wetin be di charges against Trump?
Donald Trump face 34 felony charges of falsifying business records in di first degree – e dey under Article 175 of di New York Penal Law.
Falsifying business records na offence for New York wen “intent dey to defraud” dat one include intent to “commit anoda crime or to aid or conceal” a crime.
In dis case, prosecutors go need to prove say oga Trump dey guilty of maintaining false business records wit di intent to hide a $130,000 payment days bifor di 2016 election to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels to cover up an alleged affair wey dem get for 2007.
For court documents, Cohen na Lawyer A and Stormy Daniels as Woman 2.
Di first line of di Statement of Facts, a document wey follow di indictment, spell out di prosecution case: Di defendant DONALD J. TRUMP repeatedly and fraudulently falsify New York business records to conceal criminal conduct wey hide damaging information from di voting public during di 2016 presidential election.
Trump alleged cover-up happen wen e be president
New York case against Trump na on top how im compensate Cohen for doz hush-money payments.
For 2017, afta becoming president, Trump meet wit Cohen for White House.
Shortly thereafter - and over di course of 10 months - Oga Trump start to send cheques from a trust wey dey handle im assets, and later from im own bank account, to Cohen.
Doz cheques dey registered as "legal fees," but Cohen say dem be reimbursements for di hush-money payment.
Di prosecution case say: di payment records, wey di Trump Organization keep and maintain, na false New York business records.
In truth, retainer agreement no dey, and dem no pay Lawyer A for di legal services wey im render for 2017. Di Defendant cause im entities' business records to be falsified to disguise im and oda pipo criminal conduct.
'A pattern of criminal behaviour'
Bragg cite two oda examples of hush-money payments by Oga Trumps campaign.
These payments, e say, support di prosecution case say Trump sabi say im payments to Cohen dey part of an illegal attempt to influence di 2016 presidential election.
"Di defendant orchestrate a scheme wit odas to influence di 2016 presidential election by identifying and purchasing negative information about am to suppress di publication and benefit di defendant electoral prospects," di indictment Statement of Facts assert. "In order to execute di unlawful scheme, di participants violate election laws and make and caused false entries in di business records of various entities for New York."
For one case, a doorman wey say im sabi say Oga Mr Trump get pikin out of wedlock receivd $30,000.
For anoda case, anoda woman woman wey claim say she get affair wit Trump receive $150,000. Trump don deny di affair.
These payments come from di tabloid National Enquirer magazine and dia den publisher, David Pecker, wey oga Bragg say co-ordinate wit Trump to suppress potentially damaging information from seeing di light of day. As a reward, di indictment say oga Pecker receive invitation to Trump inauguration.
Wetin be di likely punishments for doz charges?
If convicted of di felony bookkeeping fraud charge, Trump face up to four years in prison for each count.
Di judge fit impose consecutive sentences, meaning Oga Trump fit serve dem one afta di oda.
Di charge no carry a mandatory prison sentence.
However, even if convicted on all counts, Trump no go necessarily face jail time.
As a first-time offender wit no criminal record, legal experts say, e no clear whether di former president and 2024 White House candidate go dey sentenced to prison if convicted.
