14th March, 2016
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has today secured the conviction of one Dr. Faith Chika Opara for obtaining the sum of N3.8m by false pretense.
Opara pleaded guilty on arraignment and was immediately convicted by Justice M.L Abubakar of the Federal High Court, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, but reserved sentencing to Thursday March 17, 2016.
The convict had approached the complainant with the idea that there was an ongoing Federal Government Empowerment Programme from the office of the former first lady Dame Patience Jonathan, under the umbrella of Centre for Global Peace Integrity and Development, a Non-Governmental Organization, belonging to the accused. The unsuspecting applicants then paid as much as N100, 000 each, totaling N3.8m with the false hope of taking all participants to South Africa.
Before the conviction, the prosecuting counsel H. O. Anaso tendered various exhibits before the court which were all admitted and marked as such. But the defence counsel, J.C Odo (Mrs.), on the other hand prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, since her client has shown enough remorse to the State and Commission.