Justice Olubunmi Oyewole of Ikeja High Court on Monday sentenced to 76 years a former course tutor at National Teachers' Institute (NTI) Distance Learning Centre, Abesan, Lagos, Olaleye Oladapo, for stealing, forgery and altering of tuition fees receipts.

Olaleye is to serve four years each, on the 13-count charge of which he was found guilty, including stealing, and two years each on the 12-count charge of forgery and uttering.

According to him, the sentence shall run concurrently, starting from September 25, 2007 when he was remanded in prison custody after the court refused his bail applications, while the court ordered the defendant to make restitution on the sums stolen to the coffers of National Teachers' Institute (NTI).

While delivering his judgement, Oyewole held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. The defendant was accused of receiving school fees from students who couldn't be bothered to go through the rigour of going to the bank; and was issuing fake receipts, while all the money was going into his private pocket.

He was initially arraigned before the court on an 88-count stealing, forgery and altering to which he pleaded not guilty.

At the end of the prosecution's submission, the defence made a no case submission.

However, the no case submission was only upheld in respect of 53 of the 88 allegations.

The prosecution then amended the charge to reflect the remaining 25 charges, in respect of which the defendants entered his defence still maintaining his not guilty submission.

However, Olaleye's counsel, Ademola Olowoyeye, entered a plea for clemency on Olaleye's behalf, despite insisting that he committed no crime.

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