Doctor Bags Seven Years Jail Over N127m Fraud in Calabar
A Federal High Court in Calabar, Cross River State, has sentenced Dr Geraldine Orok Ita to seven years in prison for N127 million fraud.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in a statement on Saturday, confirmed the conviction, stating that Justice Rosemary Oghoghorie found Ita guilty of forgery and diversion of funds.
Ita was prosecuted by the Uyo Directorate of the EFCC on a 12-count charge. One of the charges reads, “That you, Dr Geraldine Orok Ita ‘F’ on or about the 6th day of November 2014, in Calabar, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did make a forged document to wit: FORM CAC 10 (Annual Return For A Small Company) In respect of Sharpnet Concept Limited, dated 06/1 1/2014, purported to have been signed by Mrs Rose Orok Ita (a Director in Sharpnet Concept Limited), with the intent that the document may be acted upon as genuine and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (2) (C) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M 17 of the Revised Edition (Law of the Federation of Nigeria) and Punishable under Section 1 (2) (c) of the same Act.”
Another charge states, “That you, Dr Geraldine Orok Ita ‘F’ on or about 14/02/2019, in Calabar, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did take possession of the sum of Forty-Five Million Naira (#45,000,000) through Bank Account No: 2027011283 domiciled in First Bank with Account Name: Rok Projects Limited, paid by the University of Calabar (UNICAL) for the project executed by ROK Projects Limited/Sharpnet Limited when you reasonably ought to know that the money was part of the proceeds of crime to wit: forgery and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 16 (3) of the same Act.”
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Despite pleading not guilty, the prosecution, led by Joshua Abolarin, presented strong evidence and witnesses.
“In the course of the trial, prosecution counsel, Joshua Abolarin, called witnesses and presented incontrovertible evidence. Convinced that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt, Justice Oghogho-rie convicted and sentenced Ita to seven years imprisonment.”
The case began in 2019 after the EFCC received a petition from Sharpnet Concept Limited and ROK Project Limited.
“Ita’s journey to Nigeria Correctional Centre commenced when the commission received a petition in 2019 from Sharpnet Concept Limited and ROK Project Limited initiated by two of its directors alleging that Geraldine Orok Ita forged and fraudulently altered the documents of the companies in favour of herself by removing the two initial directors from the companies’ records and claiming to be the second wife of Engr. Orok Okonkon Ita who died in 2004,” the statement partly read.
The petitioners further alleged, “Besides carrying out the fraudulent alterations, the convict appointed a new company Secretary on November 6, 2014, and changed the registered address of the companies at No. 25, Uyo Street, off Market Road, Port Harcourt, River State and made re-allotments and return of allotments of shares.”
Ita was sentenced to seven years in prison, marking the end of her legal battle.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
