A retired colonel in the Nigeria armed forces, Eugene Okpala has been jailed for seven years by a Federal High Court Judge, sitting in Enugu, Justice F. N Yunusa, having been found guilty of duping Dominion City Church, of the sum of N34.5 Million in 2010.
He was charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with conspiracy, and obtaining money under false pretences to the tune of N34.5m.
Efcc, in a statement by its spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said that the 62-year-old convict was earlier slated for trial on Wednesday but the case took a different turn when the retired colonel decided to change his plea from “not guilty” to “guilty”.
Okpala was said to have in 2008, approached one lawyer, Vincent Obetta, of Igwurube Chambers and a member of Dominion City Church under the pretext of having large portion of land for sale at N40m.
The complainant, Dominion City Church, in need of a landed property to build their school, negotiated and eventually bought the land for N34.5m. The church also paid additional five percent of the sum, which is, N1.75m as agency fee to Igbwurube Chambers.
Consequently, in September 2010, the church started developing the land, but another lawyer came up to tell them that the land belonged to one Chief Philip C. Asiodu.
The statement read in part, “Investigation was launched into the matter and the convict was found culpable and was arraigned. During trial, counsel for the EFCC, I. I. Mbachie tendered 13 exhibits which were admitted in evidence and marked as exhibit C1-13.
“Having changed his plea, the defence counsel, E. O. Isinu, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy saying, his client was a first time offender.
“Justice Yunusa consequently sentenced Okpala to seven years imprisonment on each count preferred against him. The sentences are to run concurrently.” [myad]
Why hide the Identity of the 62 year Old Army Col. Who is now a dupe confirmed. Where is his pictuream what kind of pub lic collusion is this?