Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has convicted and sentenced a serial fraudster, Hope Olusegun Aroke, to six years imprisonment on an amended three-count charge for failure to declare his interest in some properties in the Declaration of Assets Form administered on him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Count one reads: “That you, Hope Olusegun Aroke, on or about the 11th day of December 2012 in the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court, knowingly failed to declare your interest in the Mercedes Benz Jeep G55( G-Wagon) with registration No. AAA 52 BB in the Declaration of Assets Form of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27(1) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Establishment Act, 2004 and punishable under Section 27(3) (a) of the same Act.”

Count two reads: “That you, Hope Olusegun Aroke, on or about the 21st day of December, 2012 in the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court, refused to declare your interest in the Mercedes Benz Car C350 with Registration No. AGL 636 AY in the Declaration of Asset Form of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and thereby committed and offence contrary to Section 27(1) of the Economic and Financial Crimes (Establishment) Act, 2004 and punishable under Section 27(c) of the same Act.”

The convict, who had entered into a plea bargain agreement with the EFCC before his conviction and sentencing on Thursday, pleaded guilty to the charge preferred against him.

Delivering his judgment, Justice Idris sentenced him to two years on each count of the charge.

The sentences are to run concurrently. The judge also ordered the convict to return the recovered cars and the sum of N500,000 to the Federal Government.

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