Fraud: Abuja court sentences businessman to clean church for 90 days

A businessman, Ejaigu Doland, has been sentenced by an FCT High Court in Kubwa to clean the premises of a catholic church for 90 days.

According to the prosecution counsel, Doland had created a social media account misrepresenting himself to be Elliott Camfield, a cryptocurrency expert, with intentions to defraud a foreign citizen in September 2021.

Doland, 27, however pleaded guilty to the fraud charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and begged the court for leniency.

Saint John Mary Vianney Catholic Church, Kubwa, Abuja for 90 days over attempted cheating.

Delivering his ruling on Tuesday, Justice Kezziah Ogbonnaya ordered Doland to report to Saint John Mary Vianney Catholic Church, Kubwa, Abuja every day at 9:00 am, and sign in and out upon completion of the service.

Failure to perform the community service would lead to a reversal of the sentence to a correctional facility, Ogbonnaya said.

He was also warned to desist from committing crimes and be of good behaviour.

Earlier, the EFCC Counsel, Mariya Sherriff, told the court that a plea bargain agreement had been signed by the defence counsel, Calistus Aneke, and the terms were adopted.

Sherriff said the agreement is pursuant to Section 270 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, adding that Doland agreed to forfeit proceeds of the crime to the Federal Government.

“The proceeds include a N300,000 bank draft, his HP laptop, iPhone X and Samsung Galaxy cell phone,” she said.

She, however, prayed the court to sentence Doland accordingly.

The defence counsel told the court that Doland was remorseful having spent a long weekend in the correctional centre, following the adjournment of the matter for sentencing.

“My client has seen life differently within the period of his stay in the correctional facility and has taken out time to reflect on his misdeeds.

“I urge the court to give him a second chance and temper justice with mercy as he has accepted his wrong by pleading guilty, ” Aneke said.