Court Sentences Man To 9 Years Imprisonment For Using Dud Cheque To Buy Car In Ibadan

By Press Unit

Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, November 14, 2022 secured the conviction and sentencing of one Oni Daniel Temitope to nine years imprisonment before Justice Mohammed Owolabi of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan on an amended two count charge which bordered on stealing and obtaining property by false pretence.

Oni’s journey to prison began when he approached his victim, Kamoru Wole Yekini, a car dealer in Iwo, Osun State, that he wanted to purchase a Toyota Matrix Salon car with a price tag of 1.8 million naira but both parties settled for 1, 580, 000.00 naira (One Million, Five Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira).

Afterwards, Oni presented a cheque to Kamoru as means of payment but Kamoru declined the cheque and insisted on cash payment.

The convict insisted on paying through chegue and went further to make false representation that he was a staff of Medical Service Department of Bowen University and presented an Identity card, and the cheque.

Thereafter, the convict drove the car to Ibadan, Oyo State.

Kamoru, on presenting the cheque to the bank the following week, was told that the drawer had no funds standing to his credit.

One count of the charge reads: “That you, Oni Daniel Oluwatope on or about the 16th day of October, 2018 at Ibadan within the Ibadan Judicial Division, stole by fraudulently converting to your own use one 2006 Toyota Matrix car valued at One Million, Five Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira (1, 580, 000.00 naira) property of Kamoru Wole Yekinni, an offence of Stealing contrary to Section 390 of the Criminal Code Cap. C38, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.”

Upon his arraignment sometime in 2019, he pleaded “not guilty” to the charges filed against him by the EFCC.

Consequently, prosecution counsel, Abdulrasheed Suleiman called four witnesses and tendered documents that were admitted in evidence; then closed its case.

Justice Owolabi, in his judgment, said the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, convicted and sentenced the defendant to nine years imprisonment.

@views exclusive rights: Press Unit, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, November 16, 2022.