Man bags 74 years in prison for N360m fraud

A Lagos High Court sitting in Ajah has sentenced Chukwudi Okonkwo Goodness to 74 years imprisonment after he was found guilty of stealing a whopping ₦360 million and issuing dud cheques.

The conviction follows a long legal battle that began in June 2016, when Goodness was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 33-count charge bordering on theft and fraudulent dealings.

According to court records, the convict fraudulently converted the money, which belonged to one Henry Nnadike, for personal use. In an attempt to cover his tracks, he issued worthless cheques, further compounding his offense.

“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 (Three Hundred and Sixty Million Naira), property of one Henry Nnadike and committed an offence of stealing by conversion contrary to Sections 278 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011,” part of the charge sheet reads.

READ ALSO: Edo : Courts sentence another 34 ‘Yahoo Boys’ to prison

Goodness pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

During the trial, the prosecution counsel, T.J. Banjo, called four witnesses and presented several pieces of evidence to prove his case against the defendant.

Delivering judgment on Tuesday after nine years of trial, Justice Josephine Oyefeso found Goodness guilty on 32 of 33 counts.

The judge sentenced him to seven years’ imprisonment on count one of stealing.

He was sentenced to two years imprisonment, on each of counts three to 32 for the issuance of dud cheques, without an option of fine.

The judge also sentenced him to seven years’ imprisonment on count 33 without an option of fine.

He was, however, discharged and acquitted for possession of fake documents.

The sentences are to run concurrently.

The judge ordered him to refund N215 million within 30 days of the verdict and further held that he might be considered for a fine thereafter.