A Federal High Court in Calabar, Cross River State, has convicted and sentenced a medical doctor, Geraldine Orok Ita to seven years in prison for fraud involving N127 million.
The verdict was delivered by Justice Rosemary Oghoghorie following a trial prosecuted by the Uyo Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Ita was charged with twelve counts, including forgery and the fraudulent diversion of funds.
The prosecution provided compelling evidence, proving beyond reasonable doubt that she manipulated corporate records and misappropriated large sums of money.
One of the charges detailed how Ita, on November 6, 2014, forged a Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) document—Form CAC 10 (Annual Return for a Small Company)—for Sharpnet Concept Limited.
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The document falsely bore the signature of Ita, a director of the company, with the intent that it be accepted as genuine.
This act was found to be in violation of Section 1(2)(C) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
Another charge revealed that on February 14, 2019, Ita received N45 million through a First Bank account under the name Rok Projects Limited, paid by the University of Calabar (UNICAL) for a project executed by ROK Projects Limited/Sharpnet Concept Limited.
The prosecution argued that she should have reasonably known the funds were proceeds of crime, an offence under the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
Despite pleading not guilty, the court found her culpable.
Justice Oghoghorie ruled that the EFCC had established its case beyond a reasonable doubt, leading to Ita’s conviction and sentencing.
Her legal troubles began in 2019 when the EFCC received a petition from Sharpnet Concept Limited and ROK Projects Limited, filed by two of its directors.
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The petitioners accused Ita of forging and fraudulently altering company records to remove the original directors, falsely claiming to be the second wife of the late Engr. Orok Okonkon Ita, who passed away in 2004.
They further alleged that she appointed a new company secretary, changed the registered business address, and reallocated shares to herself.
With the court’s ruling, Ita has now begun serving her sentence at the Nigeria Correctional Centre.
