Court orders businessman to clean church for 90 days
An FCT High Court in Kubwa, on Tuesday ordered a 27- year-old businessman, Ejaigu Doland, to clean the premises of the Saint John Mary Vianney Catholic Church, Kubwa, Abuja for 90 days for attempted cheating
Doland pleaded guilty to fraud filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and begged the court for leniency.
Delivering his ruling, Justice Kezziah Ogbonnaya, ordered Doland to report to the church everyday at 9 a.m, sign in and out upon completion of the service.” Failure to perform the community service would lead to a reversal of the sentence to a correctional facility, ” Ogbonnaya said.She warned him to desist from committing crimes and be of good behaviour.
Earlier, the EFCC Counsel, Mariya Sherriff told the court that a plea bargain agreement had been signed by the defence counsel, Calistus Aneke and the terms were adopted.
Sherriff said the agreement is pursuant to Section 270 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), adding that Doland agreed to forfeit proceeds of the crime to the Federal Government.
” The proceeds include, a N300, 000 bank draft, his HP laptop, iPhone X and Samsung Galaxy cell phone, ” she said.
She however prayed the court to sentence Doland accordingly.The defence counsel told the court that Doland was remorseful having spent a long weekend in the correctional centre, following the adjournment of the matter for sentencing.” My client has seen life differently within the period of his stay in the correctional facility and has taken out time to reflect on his misdeeds.” I urge the court to give him a second chance and temper justice with mercy as he has accepted his wrong by pleading guilty, ” Aneke said.The prosecution counsel had told the court that Doland created a social media account misrepresenting himself to be Elliott Camfield, a crypto currency expert with intentions to defraud a foreign citizen in September, 2021.
The offence, she said, contravened the provisions of Section 320 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 322.(NAN)
