Man convicted for N37m fraud

Sat, Dec 7, 2019
By publisher
2 MIN READ

Crime

JUSTICE Chuka Obiozor of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Friday, December 6, 2019 convicted one Jules Suinner, who was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, sometime in September 2016 on a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence and money laundering to the tune of N37m (Thirty Seven Million Naira).

Suinner, together with his accomplice, hijacked the email address and letterhead of a company, Greenview Development Nigeria Limited, and used same to write a letter to Access Bank Plc to transfer the sum of N25m (Twenty-five Million Naira) to the account of ICT Aid Foundation Cooperative Society domiciled with United Bank for Africa, UBA.

Investigations showed that the money, which was transferred on July 14, 2015, had been fully withdrawn from the account by July 18, 2016. The convict, on July 22, 2015, also wrote to Access Bank Plc to transfer the sum of N12, 000,000 (Twelve Million Naira) to the account of one Tee-EM Nigeria Limited domiciled with UBA.

One of the counts reads: “That you, Jules Suinner, on or about the 13th day of July 2015, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to obtain money under false pretence, conspired with ICT Aid Foundation Cooperative Society (still at large) and others (still at large) to fraudulently impersonate officials of Greenview Development Nigeria Limited.”

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him, thereby leading to his full trial.

During the course of the trial, the prosecution counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, called three witnesses namely Victor Adewale, Adeoti Francis and Okara Godwin, and also tendere several documents that were admitted in evidence.

A statement by the EFCC said that Justice Obiozor, while delivering his judgment, held that the prosecution had adequate evidence linking the defendant to the offences as contained in the charge and that it had proved its case beyond reasonable doubts.

Consequently, Justice Obiozor found the defendant guilty on all counts. The Judge, however, deferred the sentencing to December 13, 2019.

– Dec. 7, 2019 @ 17:19 GMT |

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