Justice O. Adeniyi of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo has convicted and sentenced one Nwokobia Chris to two years imprisonment on the two-count charge of fraud preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Nwokobia was prosecuted along with Biotec Laboratory Products Limited, a company he allegedly used in perpetrating the fraud.
One of the counts reads:
“That you, Nwokobia Chris “M” and Biotec Laboratory products Ltd, on or about the 5th day of July, 2013, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, did fraudulently make a false document to wit: ACCESS BANK PLC PERFORMANCE BOND, dated 5th day of July, 2013 and purportedly signed by Shirley Ugolee and Uche Okere as the authorized signatories of Access Bank Plc which you knew to be false and sent same to KEBBI STATE AGENCY FOR THE CONTROL OF AIDS with the intention of causing it to be believed that the said document was genuine and emanate from Access Bank Plc, Maitama Branch, Abuja, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Cap 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 1990.”
After diligent prosecution of the case by the EFCC, Justice Adeniyi in a well considered judgment on July 7, 2017 held that, “the prosecution has proven its case beyond reasonable doubts.
“I hereby find the accused guilty as charged”, he ruled.
Thereafter, the judge adjourned to July 11, 2017 for sentencing.
At the resumed sitting, Justice Adeniyi sentenced Nwokobia to one year imprisonment on each of the two counts with an option of N500,000 fine each. The sentences are to run concurrently.
The second accused, (Biotec Laboratory Products Limited) was found guilty on count two and was consequently ordered to pay a fine of N500,000.
The convict is to be remanded in Kuje prison, pending when the fines would be paid. - EFCC
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