For stealing ₦360 million and giving his victim forged checks, Chukwudi Okonkwo Goodness was sentenced to 74 years in prison by Lagos High Court Judge Josephine Oyefeso in Ajah.
The ruling was handed down Tuesday, according to reports, ending a nine-year trial that started in June 2016 when Goodness was charged with 33 counts of fraud, theft, and issuing fraudulent financial instruments by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
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The EFCC claims that between June and July 2015, Goodness fraudulently stole ₦360 million from Henry Nnadike.
In violation of Sections 278 and 285 of the Lagos State, 2011 Criminal Law, Chukwudi Okonkwo Goodness committed the crime of stealing by conversion when he fraudulently converted and stole ₦360,000,000.00 at Ikeja sometime between June and July 2015.
All 33 counts were not guilty pleas entered by Goodness. T.J. Banjo, the prosecution’s attorney, offered four witnesses and numerous exhibits to support the claims during the trial.
On 32 of the 33 counts, Justice Oyefeso found Goodness guilty; he was only found not guilty on the accusation of possessing forged documents.
These were the sentences that the court imposed:
seven years in prison on count one of theft;
on counts 3 to 32, two years each for issuing faulty checks, with no possibility of a fine;
7 years on count 33, with no chance of a fine either.
The judge ruled that all of the sentences will be served concurrently, which equates to seven years in prison.
The court further ordered that within 30 days of the ruling, Goodness return ₦215 million to the victim. According to Justice Oyefeso’s ruling, the convicted individual can only be subject to a fine once the reimbursement has been issued.
