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The Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos has sentenced a lawyer identified as Kenneth Ajoku, to seven years imprisonment for offences bordering on perjury and fabrication of evidence.
According to a statement on Wednesday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, in 2017, the EFCC received intelligence about a group of fraudsters who were selling the Federal Government’s properties.
Upon investigation, the convict and his accomplices were invited for further investigation, but he refused to honour the invitation sent to him on several occasions.
Ajoku then approached the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos to swear an affidavit on oath that he was arrested and detained by the operatives of the Commission on May 4, 2017.
Ajoku also demanded the sum of N300million as damages.
However, the court declined the application and ordered him to present himself for investigation by the EFCC.
Ajoku also approached the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, with false facts to frustrate the investigation by the commission but the appellate court dismissed his appeal.
He was subsequently arraigned on two counts bordering on perjury and fabrication of evidence, pursuant to Sections 85(1), 86(1), and 88(1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.
Ajoku pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him by the EFCC, thereby leading to his full trial.
During the trial, the prosecution counsel, Franklin Ofoma, called three witnesses and tendered several documents that were admitted in evidence by the court.
Delivering judgment on October 29, 2021, Justice Dada Mojisola found Ajoku guilty on counts one and two, and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment, with an option of a fine of N2.5m.