Prophetess Jailed 5 Years for N128m Fraud in Lagos

Matilda Omonaiye/

A self-acclaimed prophetess in Lagos has been sentenced to five years in prison over a fraud of N128 million.

Linda Mabi-Praise’s conviction and sentencing were secured yesterday, by the Lagos Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), before Justice S.O. Solebo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.

Mabi-Praise, who was charged with three counts of intent to defraud, allegedly dishonestly obtained the said sum from Accelsor Investment Partners Limited in the guise that her company, Mutano Energy Ltd., was an accredited oil and gas dealer and that she was into oil and gas dealership.

She was also accused of issuing dud cheques to offset the funds.

Mabi-Praise pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when she was arraigned in March 2019 prompting commencement of trial.

Prosecuting counsel, Franklin Ofoma, during the trial, called two witnesses and tendered several documentary evidence to prove the case against the defendant.

Delivering the ruling, Justice Solebo found her guilty of counts one and three bordering on obtaining by false pretense and issuing of dishonored cheques.

The trial judge held that the prosecution proved the allegations of obtaining by false pretense and issuance of dud cheques “beyond reasonable doubt”.

Defense counsel, Mumuni Qudus, however, pleaded with the Court to temper justice with mercy and to give the mother of two “a second chance”.

After listening to the allocutus, Justice Solebo sentenced her to three years on count one and two years on count three, to run concurrently.

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