A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ajah has sentenced a 45-year-old businessman, Chukwudi Goodness, to 74 years in prison for stealing N360 million and issuing 31 dud cheques, following a criminal case that dragged on for nearly a decade.
Justice Josephine Oyefeso, delivering judgment on Tuesday, found Goodness guilty on 32 out of 33 counts filed against him by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC had arraigned Goodness in June 2016 on charges bordering on theft and issuance of dishonoured cheques. The offences stemmed from a business deal with Mr Henry Nnadike, who lost a staggering N360 million in the fraudulent transaction.
According to a statement released by the anti-graft agency on Tuesday, the crimes were committed between June and July 2015 in Ikeja, Lagos.
One of the charges read: “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 (Three Hundred and Sixty Million Naira), property of one Henry Nnadike, and committed an offence of stealing by conversion contrary to Sections 278 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.”
Goodness pleaded not guilty to the charges, leading to a lengthy trial in which four EFCC witnesses testified against him.
Led by prosecution counsel T.J. Banjo, the EFCC also tendered numerous documentary exhibits to establish the defendant’s guilt.
In her ruling, Justice Oyefeso held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, convicting Goodness on all charges except count two, which alleged possession of documents containing false pretence. He was discharged and acquitted on that count.
The court sentenced him to seven years imprisonment on count one (stealing), and two years each on counts three to thirty-two for issuing dishonoured cheques. On count 33—another stealing charge—he received an additional seven-year term.
However, all sentences are to run concurrently, meaning Goodness will serve a maximum of seven years in prison.
The court also ordered him to pay restitution of N215 million to the victim within 30 days of the judgment. Justice Oyefeso warned: “Any consideration for a fine will depend on compliance with the restitution order.”
