Medical Doctor Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for N127 Million Fraud in Calabar

A Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State, has sentenced a medical doctor, Geraldine Orok Ita, to seven years imprisonment for fraud and the diversion of N127 million.

This was disclosed on Saturday, Feb. 8, in a statement by the prosecuting agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to the statement, the trial judge, Rosemary Oghogho-rie, convicted and jailed Ms. Ita at the end of a trial that began in 2019.

Ms. Ita faced prosecution on 12 counts, including forging a document dated June 11, 2014, purportedly signed by Rose Orok Ita, a director of Sharpnet Concept Limited.

Another count accused her of knowingly receiving N45 million in proceeds of crime through the bank account of ROK Projects Limited at First Bank. The money was paid by the University of Calabar (UNICAL) for a project executed by ROK Projects Limited and Sharpnet Concept Limited.

EFCC charged her in 2019 under various legal provisions, including Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, which prescribes a 21-year jail term for document forgery. She was also prosecuted under Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, which criminalizes knowingly acquiring or possessing proceeds of crime, carrying a minimum five-year jail term or a fine five times the crime's value.

The medical doctor had pleaded not guilty, but the prosecution, led by Joshua Abolarin, called multiple witnesses and presented documentary evidence.

In her judgment, the trial judge ruled that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt, leading to Ms. Ita’s conviction and seven-year sentence.

According to the EFCC, two directors of Sharpnet Concept Limited and ROK Project Limited petitioned the commission in 2019, accusing Ms. Ita of forging company documents, fraudulently removing two directors, and falsely claiming to be the second wife of Orok Okonkon Ita, who died in 2004.

The petitioners also alleged that she illegally appointed a new company secretary, changed the companies’ registered address, and reallocated shares.