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Yinka Oveniji

By Wilson Uwujaren

Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of the Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, on February 19, 2013, sentenced a former banker, Vera Ogbonna Akanni to nine (9) years imprisonment for defrauding her bank customers various sums of money to the tune of  N35,402,440.75 (Thirty-Five Million, Four Hundred and Two Thousand, Four Hundred and Forty Naira, Seventy Five kobo only). The convict was prosecuted on an eight ( count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and stealing by fraudulent conversion.



Prior to her sentencing, defence counsel, Yinka Oyeniji, drew the attention of the court to an affidavit of means placed before the court on February 17, 2013. Besides, Justice Onigbanjo asked the prosecution counsel, Oluwatoyin Owodunni, if the convict had any previous records of conviction. Owodunni confirmed to the court that the convict did not have any such record. However, the prosecution counsel further addressed the court on the convict’s sentencing, saying that the offence for which she was tried attracts a punishment of between seven (7) and twenty (20) years imprisonment.


"My lord, this is money entrusted to the convict as a banker and an account officer. Her criminal conduct is not only a breach of trust but a heinous crime. This money belongs to innocent and unsuspecting members of the public", Owodunni submitted.  He, therefore, prayed the court that the convict be made to face the full wrath of the law.    

 Justice Onigbanjo consequently sentenced the convict to 7 (seven) years imprisonment on two of the counts and 2 (two) years imprisonment on two other counts effective from December 2, 2009 when she was first arrested. The sentence is to run concurrently.

Also, Justice Onigbanjo ordered the convict to make full restitution of the stolen money to the owners.  

Wilson Uwujaren
Ag. Head, Media & Publicity
20th February, 2013

Shey this one no get access to plea bargain,abi na only peeps wey steal in billions they get plea bargain & ridiculous fine options?Just asking aloud.

Food for thought: Somebody that stole 35billion naira should be sentence to how many yrs imprisonment If the banker in question was sentenced to 9yrs imprisonment for stealing 35million naira

When you steal as a banker make sure the loot is in billions like Cecilia Ibru, you will be sentenced to few months in hospital.

luli4life: Food for thought: Somebody that stole 35billion naira should be sentence to how many yrs imprisonment If the banker in question was sentenced to 9yrs imprisonment for stealing 35million naira

Your food for thought reminds me of word problems back then.

If 35m = 9 yrs.....(1)
and
35bn = X yrs.....(2)

Find X
Solution:

Cross multiply equations (1) and (2)

we have (35m x X) = (35bn x 9)......(3)

Note: 35billion = 35million x 1000....(4)

Substitute equation (4) into (3)

We have 35X = 35x1000x9

Divide both sides by 35 to solve for X.

X = 1000 x 9 = 9000

Therefore X= 9000yrs.

**raises hand in class**

Excuse me sir, he would serve 9000yrs.



Frawzey

Nigeria with amala justice.

so there is now an inverse proportionality between the money stolen and the number of year jail as punnishment!
Thousand naira attracts 2 digits in years sentence, millions attracts a digit sentence while billions is just in months.

Faruk and Maina should be prepared. Followed by . . .

When you have demons as leaders of a people, this is the kind of peverted justice system you get, where the magnitude of retribution for a crime is inversely proportional to the magnitude of the crime committed.

To me, Nigeria is a lost dream.