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Ex-Oyo Deputy Chief Registrar Jailed Over Dud Cheque, Her Third Sentence In Three Years

February 15, 2021

She had initially pleaded not guilty to the charges but later changed her plea to 'guilty', after a plea bargain agreement

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan zonal office, on Friday, secured the conviction of a former Deputy Chief Registrar of the Oyo State High Court, Mutiat Omobola Adio.

She was convicted after pleading guilty to a fresh charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretences and issuance of dud cheque contrary to Sections 419 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000 and Section 1 (1) (b) of the Dishonoured Cheque (Offences) Act, Cap. D11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

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Adio was alleged to have obtained a 2000 Model Toyota Pathfinder SUV valued at N1, 500,000 (One million and five hundred thousand naira) from one Fabunmi Olatunji Samuel of Fatai Olanrewaju Motors by telling him that he would be paid once the cheque she issued to him was presented to her bank.

The victim released the said vehicle to her but the cheque was dishonoured within three months of issuance for insufficient funds in the account.

Upon arraignment on January 30, 2018, the defendant had initially pleaded not guilty to the charges but later changed her plea to 'guilty', after a plea bargain agreement leading to the amendment of the charge.

Justice Owolabi thereafter pronounced the defendant guilty of the offence and sentenced her to three years in prison.

The court also ordered her to reimburse her victim the sum of N500,000 (Five hundred thousand naira) in addition to the sum of N1,000,000 (One million naira) she had previously paid as restitution to the victim.

With the latest development, Adio completes a hat-trick of convictions having previously been jailed twice for fraud.

On May 18, 2018, she was sentenced to seven years imprisonment for obtaining N9.2 million from one Abiodun Olonade, a Nigerian resident in Ireland, by false pretences.

Also, on March 6, 2020 she was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison for stealing a sum of N22,375,913 (Twenty-two million, three hundred and seventy-five thousand, nine hundred and thirteen naira), from Guaranty Trust Bank Plc.

Topics
Corruption