Court sentences medical doctor to 7 years in prison for N127m fraud

A Federal High Court in Calabar, Cross River State, has sentenced Dr. Geraldine Orok Ita to seven years in prison after finding her guilty of fraud involving over N127 million.

The judgment was delivered by Justice Rosemary Oghoghorie, following Ita’s trial on a 12-count charge filed by the Uyo Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to a statement released by the EFCC on Saturday, Ita was charged with offences including forgery and the diversion of funds totaling N127,686,594.87. One of the charges read:

“That you, Dr. Geraldine Orok Ita ‘F’ on or about the 6th day of November, 2014, in Calabar, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did make a forged document to wit: FORM CAC 10 (ANNUAL RETURN FOR A SMALL COMPANY) IN RESPECT OF SHARPNET CONCEPT LIMITED DATED 06/11/2014, purported to have been signed by Mrs. Rose Orok Ita (a Director in Sharpnet Concept Limited), with the intent that the document may be acted upon as genuine and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (2) (C) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M 17 of the Revised Edition (Law of the Federation of Nigeria) and punishable under Section 1 (2) (c) of the same Act.”

Another charge stated: “That you, Dr. Geraldine Orok Ita ‘F’ on or about 14/02/2019, in Calabar, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did take possession of the sum of Forty-Five Million Naira (#45,000,000) through Bank Account No: 2027011283 domiciled in First Bank with Account Name: Rok Projects Limited, paid by the University of Calabar (UNICAL) for the project executed by ROK PROJECTS LIMITED/SHARPNET CONCEPT LIMITED, when you reasonably ought to know that the money was part of the proceeds of crime to wit: forgery and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 16 (3) of the same Act.”

Despite pleading not guilty, the prosecution, led by counsel Joshua Abolarin, presented multiple witnesses and substantial evidence. After reviewing the case, Justice Oghoghorie ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt, leading to Ita’s conviction and subsequent sentencing.

The case against Ita began following a 2019 petition filed with the EFCC by Sharpnet Concept Limited and ROK Project Limited. The petition, submitted by two company directors, accused Ita of forging company documents, fraudulently altering corporate records, and removing the original directors. She allegedly claimed to be the second wife of the late Engr. Orok Okonkon Ita, who passed away in 2004, to justify her actions.

The petitioners also alleged that Ita appointed a new company secretary on November 6, 2014, changed the companies’ registered address to No. 25, Uyo Street, off Market Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and carried out unauthorized re-allotments and returns of shares.