N10m Oil Fraud In Rivers: Court Sentences Man To Seven Years Imprisonment

A Federal High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has sentenced one Johnson Abraham Ukiwe to seven years imprisonment without option of fine for dealing on petroleum products without license and obtaining N10 million under false pretence.

Presiding Justice Adamu Turaki Mohammed also ordered the convict to restitute his victim, Exploit Energy Ltd, the said sum of N10million in accordance with Section 11 of Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act,2006.

The spokesman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), Wilson Uwujaren, who disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Thursday, explained that Ukiwe was found to have obtained the sum of N10, 055,000.00 from Exploit Energy Ltd, between 27 January and 1 February, 2016 on the promise that he will supply two truckloads of petroleum product to it, but never did.

“This judgment will serve as a warning and deterrent to other fraudsters who specialize in defrauding unsuspecting citizens through dubious business dealings,” Mohammed said.

It would, however, be recalled that the convict was prosecuted by the Enugu Zonal Office of EFCC on a five court charge.

Also, Prosecution counsel was Michael Ani while defence counsel was Collins C. Dike.