N.4m Fraud:Man Bags Seven Years Jail Term

Justice U.N. Agomoh of the
Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has convicted and sentenced one Valentine Madu to seven years imprisonment without an option of fine.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed the charge in court on September 27, 2012.
The commission had arraigned Madu on a one-count amended charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence.
Madu had allegedly collected N400,000 from one Chioma Princewill as the cost of instituting a legal action against Total E & P Nigeria Limited for the damage of farmlands and crops belonging to Omuorukwerie family in Erema, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
“He collected the money but did not render the service for which the money was paid,” the commission had charged.
The charge reads: “That you Hon. Valentine Madu on or about March 20, 2001, at Port Harcourt in the Port Harcourt Judicial Division, did with intent to defraud, obtain the sum of N400,000 from Mr Chioma Princewill under the false pretence that the money would be used for the purpose of instituting legal action against Total E & P Nigeria Ltd.
“For the damage of farmlands and crops belonging to Omuorukwerie family in Erema in Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, which representation, you knew to be false, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1 (1) (b) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act No.13 of 1995, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
He was specifically tried for offering a plot of land for sale without granting the buyer possession of the land.
He sold the landed property for a sum of N17, 600,000.00.
Amadi was first arraigned on March 31st, 2014.
The convict pleaded not guilty to the one-count charge, and the matter went into full trial.
However, delivering his judgement, Justice Agomoh found Madu guilty, and consequently convicted and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment without an option of fine.
The judge also ordered the restitution of N300,000 to the victim.
He also ordered the release of exhibit 22 (A brand new Nissan salon car) to the convict.
The car was confiscated from him in the course of investigation.

Linus Akpan