Man Gets 15-Year Jail Term For N5.2m Fraud

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The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Apo has sentenced one Clement Joseph to 97 years in prison with no option of fine.

Justice A.O. Otaluka gave the judgement during the arraignment of the defendant by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday.

Joseph, who is also known as ‘Dr Omale’, was first arraigned by the EFCC on March 7, 2017, on seven counts of conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N5,600,000 only.

He was sentenced to seven years imprisonment on the conspiracy charge and 15 years each on the rest of the six charges, totalling 97 years.

Justice Otaluka held that the prison terms would run concurrently.

But Joseph would serve only 13 years, having been in custody for two years.

The judge also ordered the accused to make N5.6million restitution to his victim, one Bola Akintola, following a plea by the prosecuting counsel Elizabeth Alabi.

Joseph had defrauded Akintola of the said sum on the false pretence of having mystical power to deliver her from an untimely death.

According to the EFCC, the offence is contrary to Section 8(a) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.