Ex Osun LG Chair Jailed 6yrs for Stealing

Segun Atanda/

The theft and money laundering case against a former Council Chairman in Osun State was settled today.

Chief Rufus Woleola Ojo was found guilty and sentenced to six years in prison.

The Ibadan Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) secured the conviction of Ojo, a former Chairman of Orolu Local Government Area of Osun.

According to EFCC’s spokesman in Ibadan, Mr Ayo Oyewole, Justice David Oladimeji of the Osun State High Court sitting in Ede Division, found the former Chairman guilty on two of the three counts amended  information filed against him by the EFCC and  convicted him.

The Court, accordingly, sentenced him to a three-year jail term on each of the two counts to run concurrently.

The journey to the Ile-Ife prison began for Woleola Ojo following his arraignment before Justice F.E. Owolabi of the Osun State High Court on Tuesday, 28 May, 2013 on a three count charge bordering on stealing, using position for personal gratification and money laundering.

One of the count charge that earned him a jail term reads: “That you, Chief Rufus Woleola Ojo (Carrying on Business under the name and style of Rulekal Ventures) and others at large sometimes in December 2006 at Orolu Local Government Area within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud fraudulently converted to your own use the sum of N22,058,021.30k (Twenty Two Million, Fifty Eight Thousand and Twenty One Naira, Thirty Kobo) property of Orolu Local Government Area of Osun State entrusted to you whilst you were its Executive Chairman.”

Ojo was, however, discharged on count three bordering on offences of money laundering.

 

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