Pascal Omorodion gets 3 years jail for N2m fraud

GOMBE, Nigeria – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) in Gombe has secured the conviction of one Paschal Omorodion for N2 million fraud.

Pascal Omorodion was convicted by Justice Muhammad Sambo of a Bauchi State High Court on a one-count charge of theft. He was arrested based on a petition from one Ahmed Babankaratu dated November 9, 2018 alleging that N2 million was fraudulently withdrawn from his bank account.

Investigations by EFCC operatives, unravelled the involvement of Paschal and one David Alabi currently at large.

The charge reads: “That you, Paschal Omorodion and David Okhumeode Alabi (now at large) sometimes in October 2018, at Bauchi within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly transfered the sum of N2,000,000 (Two Million Naira only) property of Ahmed Shehu Babankaratu from his account domiciled at UBA PLC to GTB PLC in the name of Adetunji Samuel Babatunde and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 286 (1) and Punishable under Section 287 (1) of the Penal Code Law.”

Based on the weight of evidence presented against him by the EFCC, Paschal pleaded “guilty” to the charge on plea bargain. The EFCC lawyer, Zarami Muhammad, thus urged the court to convict him as charged.

“The amount in question which is N2 million was totally recovered from him and same was restituted to the nominal complainant,” Zarami added.

After listening to the allocutus of Paschal’s counsel, Justice Sambo pronounced him guilty and sentenced him to three years imprisonment. However, he was granted an option of N60,000 as fine.