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Justice Hakeem Oshodi of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos has convicted and sentenced a businesswoman, Doyin Adebowale Adekoya, to six months community service for a N20,547,900 (Twenty Million, Five Hundred and Forty-seven Thousand, Nine Hundred Naira) fraud.
The convict was arraigned along with her company, D.D. Unique Multi-Concept, on February 7, 2017, on a nine-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing and obtaining money under false pretence to the tune of N20,547,900 (Twenty Million, Five Hundred and Forty-Seven Thousand, Nine Hundred Naira).
The National Commission for Refugees, Migrant and Internally Displaced Persons had awarded a contract to her for the supply of 101 tricycles.
Following the supply of the items, she was paid a sum of N22,547,900 instead of N20,547,900.
She was afterwards, mistakenly paid another sum of N20,547,900 (Twenty Million, Five Hundred and Forty-seven Thousand, Nine Hundred Naira) for the same contract.
Upon discovering the error, she was contacted by officials of the Commission to return the second payment.
All efforts to get a refund were rebuffed by the defendant.
She had pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, thereby setting the stage for her trial.
In the course of the trial, prosecuting counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, called three witnesses and tendered several documents admitted in evidence by the court as Exhibits A to O15.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, March 7, 2019, Justice Oshodi convicted her for stealing and sentenced her to six months community service at the Lagos State Rehabilitation Centre, Majido, Lagos.
The Judge also directed the supervisor of the Centre to furnish the EFCC with her evaluation reports.
Justice Oshodi further directed the EFCC to auction the two buses recovered from the convict at the current market value and transfer the proceeds to the Federal Government on behalf of the Commission.
Justice Oshodi further held that the EFCC was at liberty to trace and recover the defendant’s property towards realizing the sum of N20,547,900 (Twenty Million, Five Hundred and Forty-seven Thousand, Nine Hundred Naira).
