Court imprisons cooperative society CEO over N2bn fraud in Calabar

Abdullateef Fowewe

A Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, the Cross River State capital has convicted and sentenced the Chief Executive Officer, of a Cooperative Society, Uno Michael Eke, to one-year imprisonment over charges bordering on conspiracy, obtaining property by false pretence and money laundering to the tune of N2bn.

Eke was sent to prison after pleading guilty to four-count amended charges preferred against him by the Uyo Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

This was contained in a statement by the anti-graft agency, on Saturday.

It reads, “Justice Rosemary Dugbo Oghoghorie of the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar has convicted and sentenced the Chief Executive Officer, Micheno Multi-purpose Cooperative Society, Uno Michael Eke to 1-year imprisonment for conspiracy, obtaining property by false pretence and money laundering to the tune of N2bn (Two Billion Naira).

“He was jailed after pleading guilty to four-count amended charges preferred against him by the Uyo Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

“Eke pleaded guilty to the charges when they were read to him.

“In view of his guilty plea, prosecution counsel, Joshua Abolarin prayed the court to convict the defendant based on the charges before the court. The defence counsel, Ime Umanah informed the court of a plea bargain agreement before the court and prayed for a lighter jail term for his client.”