Ayobamiji Komolafe 
A Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State, has sentenced Dr Geraldine Orok Ita to seven years imprisonment for her involvement in a N127 million fraud.
The court presided over by Justice Rosemary Oghoghorie, convicted Ita on a 12-count charge bordering on forgery and diversion of funds.
Saturday Telegraph reports that the case was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Uyo Directorate, following a petition received in 2019 from two Directors of Sharpnet Concept Limited and ROK Project Limited.
The petitioners alleged that Ita fraudulently altered company documents removed the initial directors, and falsely claimed to be the second wife of Engr. Orok Okonkon Ita, who passed away in 2004.
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They further stated that she appointed a new company secretary, changed the company’s registered address, and re-allotted shares to favour herself.
The court found Ita guilty of forging corporate documents, including CAC 10 annual returns, and illegally re-allocating shares.
She was also convicted for diverting N45 million, paid by the University of Calabar (UNICAL) for a project executed by ROK Projects Limited/Sharpnet Concept Limited, into a First Bank account (Rok Projects Limited).
The prosecution proved that Ita reasonably ought to have known the funds were proceeds of crime.
During the trial, EFCC prosecution counsel Joshua Abolarin called witnesses and presented incontrovertible evidence to establish Ita’s fraudulent activities.
Justice Oghoghorie ruled that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and sentenced Ita to seven years imprisonment.
Ita’s conviction under Section 1(2)(C) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act for forgery, and Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, reinforces the Nigerian government’s commitment to fighting financial crimes.
Following the judgment, she was transferred to the Nigeria Correctional Centre to serve her sentence.
