A Federal High Court, Lagos on Friday convicted and sentenced a fake gold dealer, Godspower Favour to three years imprisonment, over N39 million fraud.
The court presided over by Justice Saliu Saidu, convicted the 42 years old fake gold dealer after he changed his plea from not guilty, and admitted committing the heinous crimes.
The convict was first arraigned before the court sometimes in August 2017 by men of State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (SCIID), Panti-Yaba, Lagos on two counts charge of obtaining this sum of N39 million under false pretence and fraud, he initially pleaded not guilty to the charge.
He was said to have received the said money from one Atinsola Kamoru, sometimes in February 2017 under the pretence of assisting him to buy raw and genuine gold from Ghana, which after the money was given to him, he became elusive.
The offences according to the Prosecutor, Barrister Goddy Osuyi, are contrary to and punishable under sections 1 (1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other fraud related offences Act. Cap A6, 2004. And section 390(8)(b) of the Criminal Code Act Cap C38 Laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
After several adjournment of his trial, due to an order of the court, which ordered the police to produce the owner of the account used in perpetrating the act, the order that the Police never obey, and after being in custody for almost a year, the convict decided to change his plea and pleaded guilty to the charges.
Consequently, upon changing his plea, the prosecutor after reviewing the facts of the case, urged to court to convict the defendant as charged, and sentence him as prescribed by the law.
However, his lawyer, Mr. Olaniyi Adebola in his allucutor, pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy in sentencing his client, who he said is the breadwinner of his family.
Adebola told the court that the convict is a first time offender with no record of previous conviction, adding that he has been in custody for almost a year and has become remorseful during his period in detention.
Adebola also told the court that while his client, who is a Prince in his community was in detention, he lost his mother and without his presence, his late mother will remain unburied.
In sentencing the convict, the Presiding Judge, Justice Saidu, sentenced him to three years imprisonment without an option of fine.
Justice Saidu also ordered that at the completion of the jail term the convict shall make a restitution and pay back the sum of N39 million to the victim of the fraud.
Count one of the charge against the convict reads, “That you, Godspower Favour ’m’ sometimes in February, 2017, in Lagos in the Lagos Judicial Division by false pretence and with intent to defraud, did obtain from one Atinsola Kamoru ‘male’ the sum of N39,000,000.00 under the pretence that you are in a position to supply raw gold to him from Ghana, a representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1 (1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other fraud related offences Act. Cap A6, 2004
While count two reads, “That you, Godspower Favour ’male’ on the same date, time and place, in the aforesaid Judicial Division, did dishonestly steal the sum of N39, 000,000.00 property of one Atinsola Kamoru ’m’ entrusted to you to purchase gold for him and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 390(8)(b) of the Criminal Code Act Cap C38 Laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2004”.
