By Egufe Yafugborhi, Uyo

UYO — An Akwa Ibom State High Court in Uyo has sentenced two men, Chukwudi Onwuka and Eze Joshua Chinedu, to 10 years imprisonment each for defrauding businessman Mr. Tochi Obiano of ₦67,510,000 in a failed forex transaction dating back to 2017.

Delivering judgment on Monday, Justice Archibong Archibong ruled that the prosecution proved all six counts of obtaining money by false pretence, stealing, and aiding and abetting beyond reasonable doubt.

According to the court, Onwuka, a staff member of First Bank, used his position to deceive Obiano into releasing large sums for purported dollar purchases. He collected ₦39.45 million on March 17, 2017, and another ₦28.06 million on March 21, 2017, at First Bank’s Udo Udoma Avenue branch in Uyo. Chinedu was found to have facilitated the fraud by encouraging Obiano to trust Onwuka.

Justice Archibong sentenced both men to 10 years imprisonment on each of the six counts, to run concurrently, without the option of a fine.

Reacting to the verdict, Obiano said, “It’s been a tortuous eight years and eight months, but today I feel absolutely relieved.” He explained that he trusted Onwuka due to their shared professional background and noted that the fraud had consumed over 70 percent of his capital, nearly collapsing his business.

He commended the court, the Nigerian Police, and the EFCC for their thorough investigation and successful prosecution, adding, “People should not enjoy the proceeds of fraud.”

Source; Vanguard News