Ayodeji Oluokun, an assistant pastor of the Redeem Christian Church of God (RCCG), City of David Parish, Victoria Island, Lagos, was on Wednesday sentenced to two years imprisonment for issuing 1.6 million dollar dud cheque.
According to reports, Oluokun was charged alongside his company, Peak Petroleum Industry Nigeria Ltd., on an amended six-count charge bordering on issuance of dud cheque, stealing and obtaining money under false pretences.
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo, of the Ikeja Special Offences court, in her judgment, held that the prosecution had successfully proved the charge of issuance of dud cheque against the defendants.
Taiwo, however, discharged and acquitted the defendants of stealing and obtaining money under false pretences.
“The defendant issued two cheques in the sum of 1.6 million dollars to the nominal complainant, which was dishonoured because there was no fund in the defendant’s account. Issuance of cheque for lack of credit is a strict liable offence,” The judge went on to say the first defendant knew all of these and still went ahead to issue the cheque dated June 24, 2014. “It is hereby in the view of this court that the defendant was deliberate in issuing the dud cheque. He is hereby found guilty of counts one and two of issuance of dud cheque.”
The judge thereafter sentenced the first defendant to two years in prison or payment of a fine of N2 million, and the second defendant to a fine of N2 million. She ordered the convict to make restitution of 1.6 million dollars to the nominal complainant within 18 months.
The defence counsel, Edoka Onyeke, in his allocutus, prayed the court to grant the convict a non custodial sentence, adding that he was a pastor and could use his pastoral work as service to humanity, through community service.
