A medical doctor in South-south Nigeria, Geraldine Orok Ita, has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment for fraud and diversion of N127 million. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecuted Ms Ita on twelve counts of charges, including forgery and money laundering. The trial judge ruled that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, leading to the conviction and imprisonment of Ms Ita.
A medical doctor in South-south Nigeria , Geraldine Orok Ita, has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment for fraud and diversion of N127 million. The Economic and Financial Crime s Commission (EFCC) announced the verdict on Saturday, stating that the trial judge, Rosemary Oghogho-rie, convicted Ms Ita following a trial that commenced in 2019.
Ms Ita faced twelve counts of charges, including forgery of a document dated June 11, 2014, purportedly signed by Rose Orok Ita, a director of Sharpnet Concept Limited. Another count accused her of knowingly receiving N45 million, proceeds of crime, through the bank account of ROK Projects Limited domiciled in First Bank. The prosecution alleged that the University of Calabar (UNICAL) paid this money into the account for a project executed by ROK Projects Limited and Sharpnet Concept Limited. The charges against Ms Ita also encompassed offences related to forgery of documents, cheques, promissory notes, or other negotiable instruments, as well as acquiring or possessing control of property or funds with knowledge that they were proceeds of crime. Section 16 of the Act, which criminalizes acquiring or possessing proceeds of crime, stipulates a minimum sentence of five years imprisonment or a fine equivalent to five times the value of the proceeds upon conviction.During the trial, the prosecution, led by Joshua Abolarin, presented various witnesses and documentary evidence supporting their case. The trial judge ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt, leading to the seven-year prison sentence. The EFCC's statement revealed that two directors of Sharpnet Concept Limited and ROK Project Limited filed a petition against Ms Ita in 2019, triggering the investigation and subsequent trial. The petitioners accused Ms Ita of forging and fraudulently altering company documents in her favor, removing two initial directors from the companies' records, and claiming to be the second wife of Orok Okonkon Ita, who died in 2004. They further alleged that Ms Ita appointed a new company secretary on November 6, 2014, and changed the companies' registered address to No. 25, Uyo Street, Off Market Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State
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