Justice Mojisola Dada of a Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, has sentenced a businessman, Hilary Ogbobe to ten years imprisonment for obtaining about thirteen million naira under false pretence.
The judge while delivering judgement found Ogbobe and his company, Marine Mayor Limited guilty as charge.
Justice Dada however, discharged and acquitted the wife, Dorothy Ijeomo of the 3rd counts charge which borders on misdemeanor.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had arraigned the defendants on a three counts charge bordering on conspiracy to obtain and obtaining money by false pretence and misdemeanor.
Their offence was said to be contrary to provision of Section 8(a) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act No 14 of 2006.
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They had pleaded not guilty to the charge when they were arraigned on March 15, 2019 by the EFCC. The trial commenced and the prosecution called two witnesses who testified against the defendants.
The prosecution witness, (PW1)’ Ezugwu Christopher Aniebonan in his evidence narrated to court how Ogbobe fraudulently obtained the money from him through Marine Mayor Limited Zenith Bank account.
“He called me and told me there is a Dreger for sale by Lagos State Government and UBA that he want to buy and scrap that I should help him to raise #12million, that he would raise #8 million.
“On July 22,2016, I paid #2million into his account with Zenith Bank Account name. In August 12, 2016, I paid another #5 million into his account. I then called to inform him and he told me that he was in Enugu and when he comes back we shall see.”
The witness further testified that when Ogbobe came back, he told him that the Dredger had been sold to another person. He told him he had used part of the money. He told court how traumatic it was for him because there was much pressure from the person he got the money from.
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“He did not assent to our agreements, the money was not paid and his body language and attitude was that I cannot do anything.”
However, Justice Dada found Ogbobe and his company, Marine Mayor Limited guilty and were sentenced to 7 years imprisonment on count one.
While on second count charges, the judge sentenced the businessman to three years imprisonment, and ordered the company to pay a fine of five million naira within 30 days of the judgment.
The court however ordered that both sentences against the convict shall however run concurrently.
