A High Court in Ibadan on Friday sentenced former Deputy Chief Registrar of the Oyo State High Court, Mutiat Adio, to five years imprisonment for stealing N22.3 million belonging to GTBank.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged the convict with stealing N22. 3 million belonging to GTBank between May 22, 2008 and Nov. 19 2008 through a loan obtained by the Oyo State Judiciary Co-operative Society.

NAN reports that the convict was the Secretary of the co-operative at the time of the loan and was instrumental to the disbursement of N90 million loan from GTBank.

Delivery judgment, Justice Muniru Olagunju, held that the allegation against the convict was overwhelming and the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

Olagunju sheld that it was clear that the convict inflated the loan applied for by the beneficiaries and converted the difference to her personal use.

The judge held that the bank was misled by the convict to package the amount more than what the beneficiaries applied for.

He then sentenced the convict to five years in prison without an option of fine, adding that this would send a strong message to criminals.

The judge also ordered the convict to refund the N22.3 million to GTbank.

Earlier, the convict’s counsel, Mr Olaniyi George, urged the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing his client, saying the convict was a mother to two children.

George said that his client had been convicted earlier by another court and has learnt her lesson.

The EFCC counsel, Dr Benedict Ubi , prayed the court to order the convict to refund the stolen amount to GTBank.

The EFCC alleged that unknown to the loan beneficiaries, the convict inflated the various sum of money which the co-operative beneficiaries applied for. (Agency report)

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