Edo Court Jails Man for N1.5 billion Fraud

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By JUMOKE SANNI

The Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday January 19, 2026 secured the conviction and sentence of Ojo Eghosa Kingsley before Justice W. I. Aziegbemhin of Edo State High Court, sitting in Benin City.

Kingsley was prosecuted by the Benin Zonal Directorate of the EFCc, on one-count charge bordering on stealing by the Benin Zonal Directorate of the Commission. The convict, while being a customer of First Bank fraudulently took possession of over N1.5 billion erroneously credited to his account by the bank.

The charge against him reads: ‘That you OJO EGHOSA KINGSLEY (M) sometime between June, 2025 to November, 2025 within the jurisdiction of this honorable Court did steal the aggregate sum of N1,507,502,182.24 (One Billion, Five Hundred and Seven Million, Five Hundred and Two Thousand, One Hundred and Eighty Two Naira, Twenty Four Kobo), property of First Bank Plc by fraudulently converting the said sum to your own use, and thereby committed an offence contrary to contrary to Section 387(1) of Criminal Code Law of Edo State Law, 2022 and punishable under Section 394 of the same Law.’

The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him, prompting the prosecution counsel, M. S. Dahiru to pray the court to convict and sentence him accordingly.

However, counsel to the defendant pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that the defendant had become remorseful for his action.

Justice Aziegbemhin convicted and sentenced Ojo Eghosa Kingsley to one year imprisonment or a fine of N5 million.