Emmanuel Sombo, the accountant of the Federal College of Education, Eha-Amugu, Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State has been sentenced to 304 years imprisonment over forgery and fraud.
He was sentenced by an Enugu State High Court.
He has pleaded not guilty to the 61 count charges levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He allegedly forged the signatures of top ranking officers of the school on to have, on promissory notes.
He was alleged of withdrawing up to N34 million from the first bank account of the school to serve personal purpose.
The affected top officers who included the Provost, the Bursar, and the Registrar has said they knew nothing about the actions carried out by the accountant.
The anti-graft agency after conducting forensic examination on the signatures of the concerned principal officers of the school realised that they were forged.
Kenneth Okpe, who presided over the judgement concluded that the facts presented before the court has indicated that the convict personally forged the signatures of the principal officers.
He said: “The court is satisfied that the circumstantial evidence placed before it is cogent, compelling and points irresistibly to the fact that the accused person committed the offence as charged. He acted alone and is still alone as he could not call even one witness from the College to support his defence.
“These elements of the offence are present in the instant case, and I, therefore, hold that the prosecution has proved all the ingredients of the offence of forgery beyond every reasonable doubt.
“All the elements of stealing are present in this case. The accused person in his statement to the EFCC said he knew that the disputed cheques were fraudulently issued but he was asked by his boss to play along.
“He cashed the cheques, disbursed the proceeds in a manner that permanently deprived the Federal College of Education Eha-Amufu, the ownership of the money. I, therefore, find the accused person guilty of the offence of stealing as charged in counts 1 to 31.”
Before the judge made the final pronouncement, the defence counsel, Gabriel Ibu, had persuaded the court for mercy, on the ground that the accused was the one taking care of his family.
He said: “He has a wife and three children, and his absence will affect their education. We urge the court to be lenient as the punishment which should serve as deterrent will serve its purpose and not destroy the young man.”
The EFCC’s Counsel said the court needs to enable justice and make the accused refund the stolen money.
The presiding judge while passing the judgement said: “The accused person, Emmanuel Sombo, is hereby sentenced to seven years imprisonment for each of the offences of stealing in counts one to 31 in the amended information, (217 years).
“He is also sentenced to thtee years imprisonment for each of the offences of forgery in counts 32 to 61 of the amended information, (87 years.] However, the entire sentence is to run concurrently with effect from today. This is my judgement in this case.”