By Desire Emmanuel
A man who was said to have defrauded Sterling Bank Plc to the tune of N30 million has been sent to 18 months imprisonment and has been ordered to pay back N23.6 million remaining part of the money.
Justice O. A. Fadipe of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja convicted and sentenced the man, Adebisi Ridwan Ayodeji, following his arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
The convict was initially arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the anti graft agency on a one-count charge of stealing to the tune of N30,000,000 before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo.
He was subsequently re-arraigned before Justice Fadipe, and the trial commenced on March 3, 2023.
The charge against him reads: “Adebisi Ridwan Ayodeji, on or about the 15 day of September, 2021, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this court, fraudulently converted to your own use the sum of N30 million belonging to Sterling Bank Plc.”
He pleaded “not guilty” to the charge when it was read to him, thereby leading to his full trial.
In the course of the trial, the prosecution counsel, S. I. Suleiman, presented three witnesses and tendered several documents that were admitted in evidence against the defendant.
Delivering judgment on Tuesday, February 24, Justice Fadipe sentenced him to 18 months imprisonment on the one-count charge of stealing.
The judge also ordered the convict to make restitution in the sum of N23,677,107.05, being the outstanding balance, to the bank in addition to the custodial sentence.
