N5.6 million fraud: Court sentences native doctor to 97 years in prison

Justice Angela Otaluka of the FCT High Court, Apo, on Wednesday sentenced a 43-year-old native doctor, Clement Joseph to a total of 97 years in prison over N5.6 million fraud.

Joseph, also known as “Dr Omale”, was arraigned by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a seven-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence.

Delivering judgment in the case, Mrs Otaluka held that the prosecution had proved its case against the defendant and subsequently found him guilty as charged in all seven counts.

She, therefore, sentenced him to seven years on count one without any option of fine and sentenced him to 15 years each on counts two to seven without any option of fine.

The judge, however, ordered that the sentence is to run concurrently, excluding the two years he had spent in prison custody before being convicted.

Also, Mrs Otaluka ordered the convict to make a restitution of the sum of N5. 6 million to Bola Akinbola, the nominal complaint in the case.

In his allocutus before the sentence, counsel for the defendant, Johnbull Adara, urged the court to temper justice with mercy, adding that the court should take into account the fact that the convict has been in custody since August 5, 2016.

While pleading that the court should give minimum sentence to the convict, Mr Adara urged the court to consider the fact that Clement is a first-time offender.

-NAN