Appeal Court Jails Chukwudi Goodness for 74 Years for Stealing 360 Million
A Lagos High Court sitting in Ajah has sentenced businessman Chukwudi Okonkwo Goodness to 74 years imprisonment for stealing N360 million and issuing 30 dud cheques.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Goodness in June 2016 on a 33-count charge bordering on theft, following allegations that he fraudulently converted funds belonging to one Henry Nnadike.
According to the EFCC, the theft occurred between June and July 2015 in Ikeja.
“That you, Chukwudi Okonkwo Goodness, sometime between June and July, 2015, at Ikeja, within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, fraudulently converted and stole the sum of N360,000. 000.00 (Three Hundred and Sixty Million Naira), property of one Henry Nnadike and committed an offence of stealing by conversion contrary to Sections 278 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011,” part of the charge sheet reads.
Goodness pleaded not guilty to all charges.
During the nine-year trial, prosecution counsel T.J. Banjo presented four witnesses and several pieces of evidence. Justice Josephine Oyefeso convicted the defendant on 32 of the 33 counts.
The court sentenced Goodness to seven years for stealing on count one; two years each on counts three to 32 for issuance of dud cheques; and seven years on count 33. The sentences are to run concurrently.
He was discharged and acquitted of possession of fake documents.
The court also ordered him to refund N215 million within 30 days of the verdict, noting he might be considered for a fine afterwards.
