Lawyer jailed for seven years over perjury, fabrication of evidence

Justice Mojisola Dada of The Ikeja Special Offences Court of Lagos State has sentenced a lawyer, Kenneth Ajoku, to seven years imprisonment with an option of fine for the offences of perjury and fabrication of evidence.

The Judge found him guilty of two counts in the two counts preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Mr Ajoku’s travail began sometime in 2017 when the anti-corruption agency received credible intelligence about a group of fraudsters who were selling federal government properties.

Upon investigation, the EFCC said the convict and his cohorts were invited to the commission, but he refused to honour the invitation sent to him on several occasions.

Operatives of the commission then visited the defendant’s office, but he was not available.

In a bid to frustrate the investigations, Mr Ajoku approached a judge of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, Ibrahim Buba, to swear an affidavit on oath that he was arrested and detained by the operatives of the commission on May 4, 2017. He also demanded N300 million in damages.

The court declined the application and ordered him to present himself for investigation by the EFCC.

Thereafter, he proceeded to the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, in a further move to stop his investigation by the EFCC.

The appellate court, however, dismissed his appeal.

He was subsequently arraigned on a two-count charge of perjury and fabrication of evidence, said to be contrary to sections 85(1) 86(1) and 88(1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

He pleaded “not guilty” to the charge preferred against him by the EFCC, and the case then proceeded to full trial.

During the trial, the prosecution counsel, Franklin Ofoma, called three witnesses and tendered several documents that were admitted in evidence by the court.

Delivering judgment on Friday, October 29, 2021, Ms Dada found him guilty on the two counts, and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment, with an option of a fine of N2.5 million.

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