A Lagos Federal High Court on Monday convicted and sentenced a businessman, Kenneth Amadi, Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O.) IDID Nigeria Limited, to 18 months imprisonment, over fraud of N2.4 billion.
The trial judge, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa arrived at the decision, after finding him guilty of counts 4 and 5 of the criminal charge made against him by the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
He declared that the sentencing is without an option of fine, and equally ordered that IDID Nigeria Limited be liquidated with immediate effect.
It would be recalled that the day’s judgment was earlier slated to have been delivered on November 22, 2022, but the same was not ready, due to the very busy schedule of the court.
The convicted Amadi and his company, IDID Nigeria Limited, were dragged before the court by the FGN when he held sway as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Eunisell Limited, a company founded by Chief Chika Ikenga.
Prior to Justice Allagoa’s judgment, counsels had adopted their final written addresses on Tuesday, October 25, 2022.
Meanwhile, at the last proceeding on the criminal case, Justice Alagoa, had ruled against the no-case submission instituted by the convicted Amadi, questioning the N2.9bn fraud charge, slammed against him by the FGN.
In handing down his ruling, the judge held that the prosecution had raised issues that require the embattled ex-staff to proffer answers, prompting the court to order Amadi to open his defence.
Amadi had contended that the prosecution had not been able to make any prima-facie case against him and as such had no business being in court.
He then urged the court to strike out the criminal charge against him and accordingly acquit and discharge him without any further delay.
Responding, the prosecution, led by Mrs. Aderonke Imana, had insisted that Justice Allagoa should discountenance the prayers of the convcit, because a case has been made against him and that he ought to put up a defence. The prosecution then asked the court to order Amadi to open his defence.
Specifically, Amadi and his company, IDID Nigeria Limited, are were tried before the court on a five-count charge of conspiracy and fraud to the tune of N2.9 billion.
The convict was charged before the court on the offences bothering on obtaining by false pretence; forgery, unlawful fund conversation and fraud.
The offences which contravened sections Section 1 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act. Cap.A6, Lam of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act. Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offence Act, Cap. M17. Law of the Federation of Nigeria. 2004 and Punishable under the same Section of the Act.; Section 27 (b) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 14 (1) of the same Act. And Sections 434 and 435 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap. C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under the same Section of the Act
One of the charges against the defendants include receiving and obtaining by false pretence, with intent to defraud, the sum of N2, 900,000,000 belonging to Eunisell Ltd, from A-Z Petroleum Ltd and AMMASCO International Ltd; omitting making full and true entry thereof in the books and accounts; suppression of data in respect of the financial transfer to Eunisell Ltd; and converting the same amount without authority to create sufficient deposits to promote the credibility of his own company (IDID Nigeria Limited).
