Justice Olusola Williams of the Special Offences Court, Ikeja, Lagos, has sentenced a lawyer, Mr. Olukayode Folayan, to nine months imprisonment for defrauding his client, Mrs. Edna Falase, of N6million.
Folayan, 67, who has spent 43 years in the legal practice, was convicted of a two-count charge brought against by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Delivering judgment, Justice Williams held that the court had proved the case of stealing brought against him by the commission beyond reasonable doubt.
The convict committed the offence on March 27, 2014, when he fraudulently converted the N6million belonging to the complainant to personal use.
Prosecuting counsel Samuel Daji called four witnesses.
Amos Lemaru, the first prosecution witness, corroborated the statement of the convict in which he admitted receipt of N7 million from the complainant.
Out of this, the convict said he paid N1million to the lawyer of the vendor of the property located at Shomolu, while he diverted N6million for personal use.
Justice Williams said: “Having considered the totality of the evidence before me, I find and hold that the prosecution has proved both the actus reus and the mens rea of the offence of stealing with which the defendant is charged beyond reasonable doubt.
