A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja has sentenced businessman Obinna Kingsley Anijiofor to nine years imprisonment for stealing and issuing dud cheques totaling over $91,000, reaffirming the judiciary’s zero tolerance for financial crimes.
Justice Ismail Ijelu, who delivered the judgment, found Anijiofor guilty on all three counts brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after a thorough trial involving multiple witnesses and documentary evidence.
According to the EFCC, Anijiofor was entrusted with funds for import transactions by Obinna Kingsley Onwubuariri but diverted $32,000 and ₦9.5 million for personal use.
He later issued cheques that were dishonoured due to insufficient funds.
Justice Ijelu sentenced the convict to five years imprisonment for stealing and two years each for issuing dud cheques, all to run concurrently, and ordered him to refund $32,000 to the victim as restitution.
The judge condemned the act as a betrayal of commercial trust, warning that deceitful business practices damage public confidence and threaten economic stability.
Following the ruling, the EFCC hailed the judgment as a victory against financial misconduct, reiterating that those who defraud others in business transactions will not escape justice.
Reporting by WAHAB Akinlade