Court sentences Orient Petroleum MD, Nwawka, others to 14 years for N25 billion fraud

Justice O. M. Anyachebelu of the Anambra State High Court has convicted and sentenced Nnaemeka Nwawka, Managing Director of Orient Petroleum Resources Plc, alongside Jude Anniekwe Cyril and Sage Nebefeife Foundation, to 14 years’ imprisonment each for fraud involving astir N25 billion.

The tribunal recovered them blameworthy of stealing, conversion, and gratification aft a lengthy proceedings that lasted a decade.

The defendants were convicted connected a ten-count complaint relating to fiscal crimes. Part of the complaint stated: “that you, Nnaemeka Cyril, and the registered trustees of Sage Nebefeife Foundation, fraudulently converted to your idiosyncratic usage the aggregate sum of N29,620,733.”

Another number accused them of converting “the aggregate sum of N29,620,733” successful akin transactions wrong Anambra State betwixt 2012 and 2013.

They had pleaded not blameworthy erstwhile the charges were read, prompting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), done its counsel, to proceed with afloat prosecution.

During the trial, the committee presented 4 witnesses and respective documents, detailing however contracts were allegedly awarded to associates’ companies, with funds aboriginal traced to the instauration linked to Nwawka for idiosyncratic use.

In his ruling, the justice held that the prosecution proved its lawsuit beyond tenable uncertainty and ordered Nwawka and his instauration to refund N140.9 cardinal to Orient Petroleum R...