The Federal High Court Benin City has sentenced three men to jail for their involvement in fraudulent activities in Edo State.
A statement from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday revealed that the Benin Zonal Office of the anti-graft agency secured the conviction of one Adesuyi John at the court on two counts bordering on obtaining by fraudulent means.
The convict, who is also known as Jimoh Shaka, pleaded guilty to the charge upon his arraignment.
One of the counts reads:” that Adesuyi John (aka) Jimoh Shaka on or about the 28th of August, 2017, in Igarra within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did by trickery, obtained the sum of Three Hundred Thousand Naira (N300,000.00) from one Mr Ofoezie Gilbert and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 421 of the Criminal Code Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, C39, 2006 and punishable under the same Act”.
The defence counsel Moses Oriazowanlan, however, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy as the defendant was a first time offender.
Oriazowanlan said his client opted for a plea bargain in order not to waste the time of the court, adding that he had also admonished his client to embrace hard work and learn to make money legitimately.
Consequently, Justice P. I. Ajoku convicted and sentenced the defendant to one-month imprisonment on each of the counts. The sentences are to run concurrently.
Similarly, the EFCC secured the conviction of Godwin Daniel and Omotayo Abiodun at the Federal High Court Benin City.
The duo upon arraignment pleaded guilty to the two counts of obtaining by false pretence and were sentenced to one-month imprisonment each.
