Court Sentences Man One Year in Lagos Over Alleged $850,000 Fraud

Justice Ismail Ijelu of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, on Monday, March 9, 2026, convicted and sentenced Obiajulu Emeka Emmanuel to one year imprisonment for obtaining the sum of $850,000 under false pretences.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, Ikoyi, first arraigned the defendant on November 10, 2025, on a 21-count charge bordering on obtaining under false pretence, forgery and retention of stolen property, contrary to provisions of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006 and the Criminal Law of Lagos State.

One of the charges reads:

“OBIAJULU EMEKA EMMANUEL sometime between the 4th of January, 2018 to the 17th of December, 2018, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court dishonestly converted to your own use the aggregate sum of N12,330.423.90 (Twelve million, Three hundred and Thirty thousand, Four Hundred and Twenty Three Naira, Ninety Kobo) property of Taeko Omomo”.

Another charge reads:

“OBIAJULU EMEKA EMMANUEL sometime between the 7th of January, 2019 to the 27th of December, 2019 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court dishonestly converted to your own use the aggregate sum of N8,697,505.89 (Eight million, Six Hundred and Ninety Seven thousand, Five Hundred and Five Naira, Eighty Nine Kobo) property of Taeko Omomo “.

During the proceedings, prosecution counsel, C. C. Okezie, tendered several documents which were admitted in evidence by the court. She further informed the court that the EFCC had earlier secured a final forfeiture order before Justice Chukwujekwu Joseph Aneke of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, for three properties belonging to the defendant, which were forfeited in favour of the victim, Taeko Omomo

Based on developments in the course of trial, the EFCC amended the charges to seven counts, and re-arraigned the defendant on March 5, 2026. Upon re-arraignment, the defendant changed his plea from “not guilty” to “guilty”

In his judgment, Justice Ijelu held that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.

The court therefore found the defendant guilty and sentenced him to one year imprisonment, effective from March 9, 2026, and to pay a fine of N1,000,000 within 30 days.

The court also upheld the forfeiture of the three properties to the victim, in line with the earlier order of the Federal High Court, and directed the defendant to undertake to be of good behaviour before the EFCC.

The Emmanuel’s road to imprisonment began when a petitioner, Taeko Omomo entered into a business arrangement with him in 2018. The convict entered into an arrangement with the petitioner to establish a company known as First Unspeakable Grace Ltd for the purpose of purchasing land and developing properties for profitable sales.

The Omomo transferred a total sum of $850,000 to Emmanuel to facilitate the acquisition of the properties. The convict neither acquired the properties nor returned the petitioner’s funds to her.