Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Ikeja Special Offences Court on Friday sentenced a businessman, Bernard Nzenwa, to four years and eleven months’ imprisonment for issuing fraudulent documents.
The judge sentenced Mr Nzenwa and his company, Omega Maritime and Energy Ltd., with an option of a N50 million fine each.
In his judgement, Mr Oshodi held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) proved the sole charge of fraud against Mr Nzenwa and his company.
He, therefore, found the convict and his company guilty as charged.
“I hereby sentence him to stay four years and 11 months at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre or pay a fine of N50 million,” Mr Oshodi held.
The court also held that the convict’s company should pay a fine of N50 million to serve as a deterrent to others.
The commission had submitted that the convict, alongside his company and one Oluchi Nzenwa (still at large), issued false documents purported to have emanated from a bank.
The EFCC’s counsel, Gabriel Akaogu, had told the court that the defendants committed the offence on March 9, 2011, in Lagos.
The commission said Mr Nzenwa issued a false document titled “Bond for the re-exportation of imported goods delivered without payment of import duty.”
According to the EFCC, the value attached to the bond was N97.5 million, which was to be paid to the Customs Service as customs duty for the importation of an oil rig.
EFCC said the import duty was not paid.
The prosecution called six witnesses, through whom several documentary pieces of evidence were presented to prove the case against the convict.
According to the anti-graft agency, the offence contravene section 360(1)(b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
(NAN)