Ajah, Lagos – June 10, 2025
Justice Josephine Oyefeso of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ajah has convicted and sentenced one Chukwudi Okonkwo Goodness to 74 years imprisonment for fraud involving the theft of ₦360 million and the issuance of multiple dud cheques.
Goodness was arraigned on June 6, 2016, by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 33-count charge bordering on stealing and issuance of dishonoured cheques totaling ₦360,000,000.00, property of one Henry Nnadike.
One of the charges read:
“That you, Chukwudi Okonkwo Goodness, sometime between the months of June and July 2015 at Ikeja, within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, fraudulently converted and stole the sum of ₦360,000,000.00 (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.”
Despite pleading not guilty to all the charges, the case proceeded to full trial. The prosecution, led by EFCC counsel T.J. Banjo, called four witnesses and presented documentary evidence to substantiate the charges.
Delivering her judgment on Tuesday, Justice Oyefeso found the defendant guilty on 32 out of the 33 counts. He was subsequently sentenced as follows:
Seven years imprisonment on count one (stealing),
Two years each on counts three to thirty-two (issuance of dud cheques),
Seven years on count thirty-three (also for cheque-related offence),
Acquitted on count two, which involved possession of documents containing false pretence.
All sentences are to run concurrently, meaning he will serve a maximum of seven years in prison.
In addition to the jail term, the court ordered the convict to restitute ₦215 million to the victim within 30 days of the judgment. The judge also stated that the convict may be considered for an alternative fine thereafter.
Chukwudi Okonkwo Goodness was convicted after it was proven that he fraudulently obtained and diverted the funds under false pretence. The court affirmed that his actions were criminal and deserving of the sentence imposed.
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