Justice Josephine Oyefeso of the Lagos State High Court in Ajah has sentenced Chukwudi Okonkwo Goodness to 74 years in prison after convicting him on multiple counts of theft and issuing dud cheques amounting to ₦360 million.
Goodness was initially arraigned on June 6, 2016, by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 33-count charge related to stealing and financial misconduct involving bounced cheques.
The charges arose from allegations that between June and July 2015, he fraudulently diverted ₦360 million belonging to Henry Nnadike for personal use.
One of the charges stated: “That you, Chukwudi Okonkwo Goodness, sometime between the months of June and July, 2015 at Ikeja, within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, fraudulently converted and stole the sum of N360,000,000.00 property of one Henry Nnadike, thereby committing an offence of stealing by conversion contrary to Sections 278 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.”
Goodness had pleaded not guilty, prompting a full trial.
During the proceedings, EFCC counsel T.J. Banjo presented four witnesses and submitted several exhibits to substantiate the charges.
In her ruling on Tuesday, Justice Oyefeso found the defendant guilty on 32 out of the 33 counts.
He was sentenced to seven years imprisonment on the first count (stealing) and another seven years on count 33. For counts three to thirty-two, which related to the issuance of dud cheques, he was handed two years each, all without the option of a fine.
He was, however, discharged on count two, which alleged possession of documents containing false pretences.
All sentences are to run concurrently.
The court ordered the convict to restitute the sum of N215 million to the victim within 30 days of the judgment.
