A businessman, Kolawole Erinle, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for committing fraud amounting to $1.4m.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, arraigned the businessman turns fraudster, Erinle, and his company, Rinde-Remdex Nigeria Limited, in March 2022, before a Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos.
Erinle and his company, Rinde-Remdex Nigeria Limited, were first arraigned before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo and the trial could not be concluded before the retirement of Justice Taiwo, thereby prompting the re-assignment of the case to Justice Rahman Oshodi on October 28, 2022.
The defendants were arraigned on three counts of charges bordering on conspiracy, retention of proceeds of criminal conduct, and obtaining money under false pretence to the tune of $1,410,000.
During cross-examination by the prosecution, Erinle admitted that he was an ex-convict in the United States where he had spent 23 months in prison though he pleaded “not guilty”.
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After the prosecution had closed its case, Erinle took to the dock to defend himself. Led in evidence by his counsel, Lawal Pedro, SAN, he denied the allegations brought against him by the prosecution.
Delivering judgment on September 26, 2023, Justice Oshodi declared the defendant and his company guilty as charged and also held that the prosecution effectively proved the case against them beyond every reasonable doubt.
“I have considered the fact that notwithstanding your prison term, which you have confirmed to me as sentencing for 23 months, you have not changed. I have considered the preceding as aggravating factors. You also told me that you are sorry, but I do not believe that you are genuinely remorseful, but you have said it.”
Thereafter, Justice Oshodi sentenced him to five years on count two, and 12 years on count three.
The sentences are to run concurrently from February 10, 2023, when he was remanded by the court.
