A Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State, has sentenced the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Micheno Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society, Uno Eke, to one year imprisonment for defrauding members of the public to the tune of N2 billion.
The court, presided over by Justice Rosemary Dugbo Oghoghorie, found Eke guilty of conspiracy, obtaining property by false pretence, and money laundering, contrary to the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
Eke, according to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), had collected huge sums of money from unsuspecting members of the public with promises of 80% returns on investment within 40 days.
However, instead of investing the funds as promised, Eke allegedly used the money to acquire several properties, including 12 flats, two plots of land, and 18 self-contained flats, all located in Calabar, Cross River State.
The EFCC also alleged that Eke had laundered the funds through various bank accounts, including those in his name and that of his company.
In his judgment, Justice Oghoghorie held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and that Eke’s actions were “callous and reprehensible”.
The judge sentenced Eke to one year imprisonment, with an option of fine of N2 million. She also ordered Eke to forfeit all the properties acquired with the proceeds of the fraud to the Federal Government.
The court also ordered that all monies recovered from Eke should be restituted to the victims of the fraud.
The count Charge reads
“Count One reads “That you, Uno Michael Eke (being the President/Chief Executive Officer of Micheno Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society); Registered Trustees of Micheno Multi Purpose Cooperative Society, MMCS, Aya Kanu Aya, (Alias Mbakara) being the Vice President of Micheno Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society (now at large), sometime between June and August 2018 in Calabar within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired among yourselves to commit an offence to wit: obtaining property by false pretence and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8 (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act’.
“Count two reads “That you, Uno Michael Eke (being the President/Chief Executive Officer of Micheno Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society), Registered Trustees of Micheno Multi Purpose Cooperative Society, MMCS, Aya Kanu Aya (Alias Mbakara) being the Vice President of Micheno Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society (now at large), on or about the 12th day of July, 2018 in Calabar within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of Two Million Naira (N2,000,000.00) from one Kubnse Ogar Ebute by inducing her to invest the money into your Swiss golden packages through your Micheno Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society ltd under the false pretence of paying her 80% as return on investment on her principal sum on the 40th day of his investment, which you knew to be false and thereby committed an Offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act”.
