A Lagos State High Court in Ajah has sentenced Chukwudi Okonkwo Goodness to 74 years imprisonment after finding him guilty of stealing N360 million and issuing dud cheques.
Justice Josephine Oyefeso delivered the judgment on Tuesday, convicting Goodness on 32 out of 33 counts related to theft and financial misconduct. The court ordered him to restitute N215 million to the victim within 30 days of the judgment.
Details of the Case
According to court documents, Goodness was first arraigned on June 6, 2016, by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The charges stemmed from allegations that between June and July 2015, he fraudulently converted N360 million belonging to one Henry Nnadike for personal use.
One of the charges read: "That you, Chukwudi Okonkwo Goodness, sometime between the months of June and July, 2015 at Ikeja, within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, fraudulently converted and stole the sum of N360,000,000.00 property of one Henry Nnadike, thereby committing an offence of stealing by conversion contrary to Sections 278 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011."
During the trial, EFCC counsel T.J. Banjo presented four witnesses and submitted several exhibits to substantiate the charges against the defendant, who had initially pleaded not guilty.
The Sentencing
In her ruling, Justice Oyefeso sentenced the convict to seven years imprisonment on the first count of stealing and another seven years on count 33. For counts three to thirty-two, which related to the issuance of dud cheques, he received two years each, all without the option of a fine.
The court, however, discharged him on count two, which alleged possession of documents containing false pretences. All sentences are to run concurrently, effectively making it a 7-year prison term.
This case highlights the judiciary's commitment to addressing financial crimes in Nigeria, particularly in Lagos State where economic activities are concentrated.
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