Lagos businessman bags 74 years for N360m fraud

A Lagos high court sitting in Ajah has sentenced Chukwudi Okonkwo Goodness to 74 years imprisonment for stealing N360 million and issuing multiple dud cheques.

According to The Cable, the ruling, delivered on Tuesday by justice Josephine Oyefeso, brought to an end a protracted legal battle that spanned nine years. Goodness was found guilty on 32 out of 33 charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

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The convict was first arraigned in June 2016 on a 33-count charge, which included theft and the issuance of cheques that were returned unpaid. The EFCC, through its Lagos zonal office, accused him of fraudulently converting the sum of N360 million belonging to one Henry Nnadike between June and July 2015.

According to court documents, the crime took place in Ikeja and violated sections 278 and 285 of the Lagos State Criminal Law, 2011.

“That you, Chukwudi Okonkwo Goodness, sometime between the months of June and July, 2015 at Ikeja, within the jurisdiction of the Honorable 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.

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Despite pleading not guilty, Goodness was found culpable after the prosecution, led by T.J. Banjo, presented four witnesses and a trove of documentary evidence. The court ruled that the EFCC had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.

Justice Oyefeso sentenced Goodness to seven years imprisonment for count one (stealing), and two years each for counts three to 32, which involved the issuance of dud cheques. On count 33, he received another seven-year term. He was discharged on one count related to the possession of fake documents.

All sentences are to run concurrently, meaning he will serve a total of seven years in prison.

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In addition to the custodial sentence, the judge ordered Goodness to refund N215 million to the victim, Nnadike, within 30 days. She further ruled that he may be considered for a fine only upon compliance with the restitution order.