4O-year-old woman, Sade Otenuga bagged to 12 years imprisonment in Ekiti high court on Monday. This development manifested after being found guilty of defrauding the deeper life church of N620,000.
The court held that Sade deceived the church into paying her on the pretext that she owned a dilapidated building. She claimed that the church could put the building situated in Ado-Ekiti to better use.
Shade became charged with advance fee fraud and stealing punishable under the law of Ekiti state
A pastor in the church, Oso Olugbenga transferred the money to Sade in two electronic transfers. Both transfers unfolded on April 6 and April 8, 2021.
Pastor Olugbenga said that the church decided to buy the building because it had become a hideout for criminals.
Sade also told the church to remove the building on the land knowing fully well. All efforts to recover the money proved abortive after the discovery of her swindling intent.
To prove the case against Sade, the Police prosecutor, Samson Osubu called three witnesses and presented three exhibits including a sum of N100,000 cash recovered from the convict before the court.
The convict also confessed to having committed the crime. Sade’s counsel, Yinka Opaleke pleaded to the court to temper justice with mercy.
However, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye said the offense posseses prescribed mandatory sentence. According to the Justice, the court devoid of the power to exercise the matter.
The accused bagged seven years imprisonment in count 1(fraud) and 5 years in count 2(stealing) with an N20,000 option of fine.
