UYO
Justice Gabriel Ette of the Akwa Ibom State High Court, sitting in Uyo, has convicted and sentenced a self-acclaimed pastor, Ejim Ebubechukwu Divine, for fraudulent conversion of funds.
He was jailed on Tuesday, last week, after pleading guilty to a one-count charge bordering on fraudulent conversion of funds.
The charge read: “That you, Ejim Ebubechukwu Divine “M” on 25th February, 2022 at Uyo within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did fraudulently convert to your own use the sum of N852, 625. 00 (Eight Hundred and Fifty-Two Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty-five Naira) only belonging to one Joy Anietie Obot and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 392 (1) of the Criminal Code Laws of Akwa Ibom State CAP 38 and punishable under Section 399 of the same law.”
In view of his plea, counsel to the EFCC, EnobongUbokudom, prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly.
However, defence counsel, Godwin Udoh,prayed the court for leniency on the grounds that his client was a first-time offender.
Delivering judgment, Ette convicted Divine and sentenced him to one-year jail term.
The court also ordered the convict to restitute the sum of N452, 625. 00 (Four Hundred and Fifty-Two Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty-Five Naira) to the victim, through the EFCC, having earlier refunded the sum of N400, 000.00 (Four Hundred Thousand Naira) to the victim.
Divine’s journey to the correctional centre began when he was arrested by officers of the Akwa Ibom State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N852, 625. 00 (Eight Hundred and Fifty-Two thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty-Five Naira) from one Joy Anietie Obot, whom he met at the NIS office in Uyo on Friday February 25, 2022.
He was handed over to the EFCC.
The convict obtained the said sum from her under a pretence that he would help her purchase PayPal funds.
He neither purchased the funds nor returned the money to the petitioner.
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