By Onozure Dania
Lagos—A Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere has sentenced an Indian national, Mr. Sandeep Gogia to 22 years imprisonment for defrauding a Communication company of the sum of 250,000 US dollars.
Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo, jailed him after he was found guilty of the fraud charge brought against him and his company, Eastern Metal Limited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
EFCC had arraigned him alongside his company on a three count charge of conspiracy, stealing and obtaining under false pretence and he pleaded not guilty.
The anti-graft commission alleged that Gogia alongside one Mr. Arun Goswani who is at large defrauded the communication company by obtaining the sum of 250,000 US dollars, under the pretence of having naira equivalent of the amount.
Grogia was said to have committed the offence whilst being the Chief Operating Officers, CEO, of Eastern Metal Limited sometime in July 2015.
The offence bordered on stealing, obtaining money by false pretence and stealing contrary to section 287 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
It also contravened section 1 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other related Offences Act No 14, 2006.
The judge while delivering judgement found him guilty of conspiracy, obtaining under false pretence and freed him on allegation of stealing.
Justice Lawal-Akapo , therefore, sentenced him to seven years imprisonment on the charge of conspiracy and 15 years on the second count charge of obtaining money by false pretence.
He said that the sentence is to run concurrently from October 25, 2018.
The judge however freed him on the third count charge of stealing and ordered him to pay restitution of N59,750 million to the victim.
“The second defendant, Eastern Metals Limited, is to be wound up and the assets forfeited to the Federal Government.”
