A 34-year- old herbalist, Matthew Sonoma a.k.a “Dr Perebokowe Ogah” has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment with hard labour, by a Federal High Court in Abuja sequel to his alleged complicity in Advance Fee Fraud otherwise known as 419.
The herbalist was specifically accused of duping a former chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Ambassador Sam Edem, to the tune of N715 milion.
Trial Justice Gabriel Kolawole convicted the Warri-based herbalist on the strength of a 15-count criminal charge preferred against him by the Inspector General of Police.
The court said it was satisfied that the accused person contravened section 7(2) (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
Edem had, in his petition to the Police, alleged that he paid the money into the account the accused person opened with the Ugheli branch of Oceanic Bank. He claimed that the money was a loan he gave the herbalist to execute a business deal.
The petitioner, however, lamented that Sonama reneged to refund the money and instead allegedly threatened his life while the money was kept away from the original bank account.
It would be recalled that the police had also arraigned the former NDDC chairman before an Abuja High Court in Wuse on allegation that he unlawfully spent about N800 million belonging to the commission on the convicted sorcerer.
Though Edem denied the allegation in court, police, however, insisted that during investigations into the petition, it uncovered that the NNDC ex-boss spent the said sum to secure the services of the accused person with a view to getting protection and favourable contracts from Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State.
Police further told the court that the spiritualist confessed that he was paid to help him (Edem) make some sacrifices to be able to retain his position as the commission’s chairman.
However, the NDDC boss refuted the allegation, maintaining that the accused person threatened him into releasing the money, adding that he never paid the spiritualist directly.
Edem told the court that he paid the money through his Personal Assistant, an SSS officer attached to him, one Mr. Denis, now at large, upon his advice.
Meantime, in his 66 paged judgment on the case against “Dr Perebokowe Ogah”, Justice Kolawole noted that going by the proof of evidence before the court, the ex-NDDC boss paid the amount into the accused person’s account with Oceanic bank Plc, Warri branch.
The Judge said there was evidence that though the accused opened the said account with his real name, however, following the petition to police, the native doctor, hurriedly opened another account with the same bank under a false name Tunwere Ejoor where he transferred the money in order to conceal the source and location of the money.
Justice Kolawole said from the overwhelming bank documents and evidence-in-chief of the bank Manager, the prosecution, proved beyond doubt that the convict had fraudulent intention in transferring the said money to another account under false name during the pendency of police investigation.
The court agreed with the prosecution counsel, Mr. Simon Lough, that the jailed herbalist got the money from his victim with fraudulent intention since he failed to disclosed the services he rendered to the diplomat that warranted the payment of the huge sum.
It was the judgment of the trial court that the convict failed to prove that the money was payment for services he rendered to Edem, noting that he was unable to disclose the nature of such services when he was called upon to do so.
Consequently, the court dismissed argument of the native doctor that he adopted a new name owing to disagreement he had with his father in the village.
The trial Judge stressed that seven years jail term with hard labour should be a reasonable penalty for the convict as prescribed under section 7 (2) (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act 2006.
Nevertheless, the court declined to make an order for forfeiture and restitution of the money and other exhibits seized by police from the convict. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Mugu! He should have come over to my pastor, who will not take a penny from him until Edem has seen the invincible powers of God.
ReplyDeleteHow did just one man come about such a staggering amount of money? And to think that this so-called ex Diplomat will approach a juju man with money to ensure he stays in a post he probably does not deserve and in which he would, most certainly, not perform is a clear indication of the sorry state we are in and the depth these upstarts have dragged a country that was once the pride and envy of black people the world over. Yeye man.
The former NDDC boss need to be sentenced along with the herbalist. How did he get the money paid into the herbalist's account. I want to believe this sum of money is meant for a project in NDDC area.
ReplyDeleteThis is clearly a case of the pot calling the kettle black. 800 million of NDDC money lent to some herbalist for a business? What business does a herbalist do? Unless the trial magistrate has some idea of the workings of juju, I tend to believe the infamous herbalist (I believe herbalist is a misnomer. He should bu called a juju priest). The ex-this, ex=, Sam Edem is a thief - pure and simple, and should get a stiffer penalty for using money ear-marked by government for alleviating the suffering of his people for occultic purposes. People like him know where to go to kill anyone who stands in their way with spiritual darts. I hope he tries that with me - and my Lord Jesus will decimate him with heavenly fire.
ReplyDeleteJail Herbalist. Leave Ambassador Free. What a misnomer of justice? So d question is How did the ex-NDDC boss come into that staggering amount. Federal court my YANSH, So the man is freeeeeeee for using NDDC money anyhow. I dey laugh . Lawyers and Police need to be scrapped in this country. Period
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