N22m fraud: Court jails Osun ex-LG chair

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The Ibadan Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday secured the conviction of a former Chairman, Orolu Local Government Area of Osun State, Chief Rufus Ojo, for a N22m fraud.

Justice David Oladimeji of the Osun State High Court sitting in the Ede Division found the former chairman guilty on two of the three counts amended information filed against him by the EFCC and convicted him.

The court accordingly, sentenced him to a three-year jail term on each of the two counts to run concurrently.

The journey to the Ile-Ife prison began for Ojo following his arraignment before Justice F.E. Owolabi of the Osun State High Court on Tuesday, May 28, 2013 on three charges bordering on stealing, using position for personal gratification and money laundering.

One of the charges that earned him a jail term reads, “that you, Chief Rufus Woleola Ojo, (carrying on business under the name and style of Rulekal Ventures) and others at large sometimes in December 2006 at the Orolu Local Government Area within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud fraudulently converted to your own use the sum of N22,058,021.30k property of Orolu Local Government Area of Osun State entrusted to you whilst you were its executive chairman.”

However, the court discharged him on count three bordering on offences of money laundering.