A Lagos High Court sitting in Ajah has sentenced Chukwudi Okonkwo Goodness to 74 years in prison for stealing N360 million and issuing multiple dud cheques.
Justice Josephine Oyefeso delivered the judgment on Tuesday, nearly nine years after the defendant was first arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 33-count charge bordering on stealing and fraudulent practices.
Goodness was arrested in 2016 for fraudulently converting N360 million belonging to one Henry Nnadike. According to the charge sheet, he committed the offence between June and July 2015 in Ikeja.
“That you, Chukwudi Okonkwo Goodness, sometime between the months of June and July, 2015 at Ikeja, within the jurisdiction of the Honorable Court, fraudulently converted and stole the sum of N360,000,000.00 (Three Hundred and Sixty Million Naira), property of one Henry Nnadike…” the charge partly read.
Goodness pleaded not guilty to all charges.
During the trial, EFCC counsel T.J. Banjo called four witnesses and tendered various pieces of documentary evidence to establish the prosecution’s case.
Justice Oyefeso found the defendant guilty on 32 of the 33 counts. He was sentenced to:
He was, however, discharged and acquitted on the charge of possessing fake documents.
The sentences are to run concurrently.
The court also ordered Goodness to refund N215 million to the victim within 30 days of the judgment. Justice Oyefeso added that he may be considered for a fine thereafter, subject to compliance with the refund order.