Lukman Olabiyi
Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court, Lagos has convicted and sentenced a businessman, Taiyelolu Ibrahim Akeem to three years imprisonment over N21 million fraud.
Taiyelolu was given the jailed terms by Justice Oweibo, after the the prosecution reviewed the facts of the two counts charges of obtaining by false pretence and fraud made against him.
The convict had on September 3, pleaded guilty to the two- counts charge, when he was first arraigned before the court.
In reviewing the facts of the charge, the prosecutor, Daniel Apochi, of the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU) Ikoyi, Lagos, said the convict fraudulently obtained the sum of N21 million, through his company, Tkashy Multi Service, from one Solomon George, under the pretence of supplying him 20 containers of Charcoal.
Daniel further told the court that the convict and others now at large, committed the offence in Lagos, between the month of February and October 2019.
He told the court that the offences committed by the convict contravened sections 1(1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006 but Punishable Under Section 1(3) of the same Act. And section 15(2) (b) of the Money Laundering (prohibition) Act, 2011, as amended in 2012.
Upon reviewed the facts of the case, Daniel urged the court to convict the businessman and sentence him accordingly.
Following the submission of the prosecutor, the defendant who was not represented by any counsel, pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy in sentencing him.
After listened to the submission of the prosecutor and defendant’s plea for mercy, Justice Oweibo sentenced the businessman to three years imprisonment without option of fine.