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Nigerian Lawrence Maduagwu Sentenced To 10 Years' Imprisonment For $179,000 Fraud

September 13, 2019

Justice Mojisola Dada of the State High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos,
found Maduagwu guilty of a two-count charge of stealing and obtaining
by false pretence levelled against him.

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A Nigerian, Lawrence Maduagwu, has bagged 10 years in prison for fraud
of $179,000.

Justice Mojisola Dada of the State High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos,
found Maduagwu guilty of a two-count charge of stealing and obtaining
by false pretence levelled against him.

According to the EFCC, Maduagwu was introduced to the complainant, PMC
Industry Limited, a Chinese company, through its Nigerian
representative, Ohio Ileogben, as a businessman who deals in calcium
chloride chemicals.

He, however, failed to pay for the 500 metric tonnes of calcium powder
valued at the sum of $179,000, after taking delivery of the items and
efforts to get him to pay for the goods were unsuccessful.

Count one said: “That you, Lawrence Maduagwu, sometime in 2013, at
Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division, with intent to defraud,
induced PMC Industry Limited, China to confer a benefit on you by
supplying you 500 metric tonnes of calcium chloride powder valued at
$179, 000 on the understanding that you will pay for the goods. But up
till now, you have refused to do so.”

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge, thereby leading to his
full trial.

In the course of the trial, the prosecution counsel, S.O. Daji called
five witnesses and tendered several exhibits that were admitted in
evidence by the court.

Delivering her judgment, Justice Dada convicted and sentenced the
defendant to seven years' imprisonment on count one and three years on
count two.

Both sentences are to run concurrently from the date of his remand
(February 28, 2018) by the court.

The judge also ordered that the convict make full restitution of
$179,000, which the EFCC must employ all legal means to ensure
compliance.

Topics
Corruption