Court sentences businessman to four years in prison for issuing fake documents

Justice RA Osodi of the Special Offences Court serving in Ikeja, Lagos, on Friday, sentenced a businessman, Bernard Okechukwu Nzenwa, to four years and 11 months in prison for issuing forged documents.

Nzenwa, along with his company, Omega Maritime and Energy Ltd., were arraigned on December 7, 2022 by the Lagos State Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on one count bordering on issuing a forged document.

The count reads: “Bernard Okechukwu Nzenwa, Omega Maritine and Energy Limited, and Dr. Oluchi Nzenwa, (who is now at liberty), sometime on the 9th day of March, 2011, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, issued a forged document entitled, “BOND FOR RE-EXPORT OF IMPORTED GOODS DELIVERED WITHOUT PAYMENT OF IMPORT DUTY”, which you alleged was from Guaranty Trust Bank Plc.”

However, the accused pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, so he was given a full trial.

During the trial, legal counsel, GC Akaogu, called six witnesses, through whom a number of documentary evidences were presented to prove the case against him and his company.

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In his ruling on Friday, Justice Oshodi said the prosecution effectively proved the case against the defendants beyond a reasonable doubt.

“I find the accused guilty of false assurance, forged documents and fraudulent intent,” he said.

Justice Oshodi sentenced him to four years and eleven months in prison, with an option to pay a fine of N50 million, while the company was fined N50 million as punishment and a deterrent to others.

The journey to the Correctional Centre began for Nzenwa when he produced a forged document titled: “bond for re-export of imported goods delivered without payment of import duties to the exporter”.

He was arraigned in court and found guilty of false bail, false documents, and false intent.

Court sentences businessman to four years for issuing fake documents first appeared on Latest Nigeria News | Headlines from Ripples Nigeria.