A former banker, Christopher Jackson Edeh, has been sentenced to a total of 39 years’ imprisonment for his involvement in a N2.7 billion fraud case by the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos.
Justice O.O. Abike-Fadipe handed down the sentence on Tuesday after finding Edeh guilty of nine counts bordering on fraudulent accounting and unauthorised access to a computer system.
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Edeh was prosecuted by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which alleged that he altered the bank account details of several customers and government-related entities with the intention of defrauding them.
The affected accounts reportedly included the Kano State Government Power Intervention Fund, NNPC Trading Limited, Stallion Vision Limited, the Lagos State Government Blue Line, the State Contributory Pension Account and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University.
The anti-graft agency first arraigned Edeh on February 28, 2024, on a nine-count charge relating to fraudulent false accounting and unauthorised access to a computer system.
During the trial, prosecuting counsel, Z.B. Atiku, called three witnesses and tendered several documents to establish the prosecution’s case.
The defence also presented one witness in support of its position.
In her judgment, Justice Abike-Fadipe held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and consequently convicted Edeh on all nine counts.
The court sentenced Edeh to five years’ imprisonment without an option of fine on each of counts one to seven, which bordered on fraudulent false accounting.
For counts eight and nine, relating to unauthorised access to a computer system with the intent to facilitate the commission of crimes, he received two years’ imprisonment without an option of fine on each count.
The judge, however, ordered that all the sentences run concurrently.
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The ruling means the prison terms will be served at the same time rather than consecutively, resulting in a total sentence of 39 years, as reported.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
