Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi, Benue State has sentenced one Braimoh Azeez Oluwadamilare to two years imprisonment with an option of fine of N50,000 (Fifty Thousand Naira) for obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N70,000.00 (Seventy Thousand Naira).

The convict was arraigned on a one-count charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Makurdi Zonal office, on March 10, 2020, where he pleaded 'guilty' after a plea bargain agreement with the Commission.

The count reads: “That you, Braimoh Azeez Oluwadamilare sometime in August 2019, in Makurdi within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N70,000.00 (Seventy Thousand Naira) only from one Mavis Ngohile Damkor under false pretence that she should invest with the said amount and get double of it within 45 minutes which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(2) of Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act".

In view of his guilty plea, and subsequent review of the facts of the case, counsel for the EFCC, Y.Y. Tarfa, prayed the court to convict him accordingly.

However, defence counsel, Donald M. Kwaghtser, pleaded with the Court to temper justice with mercy, saying his client was a first-time offender.

Consequently, Justice Olajuwon convicted and sentenced him to two years imprisonment, with an option of fine of N50,000.00 (Fifty thousand naira).

The trial judge further ordered that the sum of N70,000.00 which had been refunded by the convict during the course of investigation should be paid to the victim as a restitution, and that the convict should undertake not to commit any further financial crime again.



Media & Publicity
March 10, 2020