An assistant pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), City of David Parish, Victoria Island, Lagos, Ayodeji Ibrahim Oluokun, has been sentenced to two years imprisonment for issuing $1.6 million Dud cheque.
Oluokun was arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alongside his company, Peak Petroleum Industry Nigeria Limited, on an amended six-count charge bordering on issuance of dud cheques, stealing and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of $1.6 million on January 19, 2019.
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, convicted and sentenced Oluokun, to two years in prison on Tuesday, September 21, 2022.
in her judgment, Justice Taiwo held that the prosecution had successfully proved the charge of issuance of dud cheque against the pastor.
She however, discharged and acquitted him of stealing and obtaining money under false pretences.
“The defendant issued two cheque in the sum of 1.6 million dollars to the nominal complainant, which was dishonoured because there was no fund in the defendant’s account; Issuance of cheque for lack of credit is a strict liable offence”.
“the first defendant knew all of these and still went ahead to issue the cheque dated June 24, 2014. It is hereby in the view of this court that the defendant was deliberate in issuing the dud cheque. He is hereby found guilty of counts one and two of issuance of dud cheque” the judgement read.
The judge thereafter sentenced the first defendant to two years in prison or payment of a fine of N2 million, and the second defendant to a fine of N2 million.
She ordered the convict to make restitution of 1.6 million dollars to the nominal complainant within 18 months.
The defence counsel, Mr Edoka Onyeke, in his allocutus, prayed the court to grant the convict a non custodial sentence, adding that he was a pastor and could use his pastoral work as service to humanity, through community service.
