Court Sentences Senior Hospital Staff 7 Years Imprisonment Over N14m Employment Scam In Enugu

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Wednesday, March 2nd, 2022

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – An Enugu State High Court presided over by Justice C.O Ajah, has convicted a Senior Staff of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, (FNHE), Mrs. Stella Achalla and sentenced her to seven years imprisonment over employment scam in the health establishment.
African Examiner reports that Acharra was convicted without option of fine, after she was found guilty of defrauding job seekers while serving as the personal secretary to the Ex- Medical Director of the Hospital, Dr. Jojo Onwukwe.
Delivering the judgment that lasted for over three hours, Tuesday, Justice . Ajah held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The convict was charged for obtaining money under false pretense, punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other related Offenses Act, 2006.
Justice Ajah further held that it was convinced by the five prosecution witnesses, including a police officer, who was part of the team that searched the convict’s house and one Mrs. Stella Egotanwa, a personal assistant to the convict, through which she (the convict) scammed the complainants of a total sum of 14 million naira, under the guise that she (the convict) would help them get employment in the said hospital.
Upon the court’s pronouncement, the convict and her members present at the Court broke down in tears,and wept uncontrollably.
While making a plea, the defence counsel had pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy on the ground that the accused person is a first time offender.
But the prosecution counsel, who prosecuted the case with the Attorney General’s fiat, drew the attention of the court to the provision of Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other related Offences Act, 2006, which provides for a jail term of not less than 7 years and not exceeding 20 years, as well as Section 11 of the same Act, which provided for restitution in favour of the complainants.
In its final verdict, the court took cognizance of the convict’s age, sentenced her to 7 years imprisonment without an option of fine and ordered that the convict pay back all the money she got from the complainants.
It would be recalled that the legal battle began about four years ago when the Police in Enugu State dragged Achara to an Enugu High Court over alleged employment scam to the tune of N14 million.
The charge No. E/197C/2017, signed by Mr. Damian Njoku-Umeh, the officer-in-charge, legal prosecution, Enugu State Police command, she was accused of defrauding job seekers to the tune of N14m.