Justice E. F. Ikponmwien of an Edo State High Court, sitting in Benin- City has sentenced a kerosine dealer to one year imprisonment, without an option of fine, for issuing a dishonoured cheque to one of his customers.
The convict, Abraham Ologunja was arraigned on a one- count charge bordering on issuance of a dud cheque and was found guilty of the charge and convicted accordingly.
Trouble started for Ologunja when a complainant petitioned the Commission that, sometime in August 2013, he deceitfully acquired some 33, 000 litres of petroleum product, specifically Kerosine, from him, amounting to N4,400,000.00k ( Four Million Four Hundred Thousand Naira only) and issued a Keystone bank cheque No.,00000020 dated 14 October, 2013 in favour of him but was dishonoured at the point of presentation due to insufficient funds.
All efforts by the complainant to recover his money proved abortive.
At the conclusion of investigation, the Commission filed a count charge against him while he pleaded not guilty on 12 May, 2016 at the point of arraignment.
The matter went into full trial. The prosecuting counsel, J.N. Dogonyaro presented five witnesses and exhibits comprising the bounced cheque, voluntary statements made by the convict to establish a case against him.
Justice Ikponmwen, in his ruling, said the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt against the convict.
