Rivers
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
Rivers
NSE Members Tasked On National Dev
Rivers
VALVA Restates Commitment Education Advancement, Literacy In Nigeria
Rivers
Rivers Judiciary Denies Issuing Court Order Stopping SOLAD from Swearing in RSCSC Members
The Rivers State Judiciary has denied a media report claiming that Justice Frank Onyiri of the State High Court issued an injunction order restraining the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), from inaugurating the newly appointed members of the Rivers State Civil Service Commission (RSCSC).
In a statement issued by the Deputy Chief Registrar in charge of litigation at the High Court, Menenen Poromon (Esq), the state Judiciary disassociated itself from the report, describing it as malicious and fabricated.
The statement emphasized that the report was a falsehood and a misrepresentation of what transpeared in the court.
Poromon clarified that no such order was issued by Justice Onyiri or any other judge of the High Court of the state and urged the public to disregard the information, as it lacked any iota of truth.
The statement however advised the public to verify any information concerning the state Judiciary directly from the office of the Chief Registrar, High Court of the State, to avoid spreading of misinformation.