A Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday sentenced a former banker, Christopher Edeh, to 39 years’ imprisonment for his involvement in a N2.7 billion fraud.

Justice O.O. Abike-Fadipe handed down the sentence following Edeh’s prosecution by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Edeh was arraigned on Feb. 28, 2024, on nine counts bordering on fraudulent false accounting and unauthorised access to a computer system.

The charges alleged that he altered the bank account details of several customers and government-related entities with intent to defraud.

The affected entities included the Kano State Government Power Intervention Fund, NNPC Trading Limited, Stallion Vision Ltd., the Lagos State Government Blue Line, the State Contributory Pension Account and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University.

During the trial, prosecuting counsel, Z.B. Atiku, called three witnesses and tendered several documents to establish the case against the defendant, while the defence called one witness.

In her judgment, Justice Abike-Fadipe held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and convicted Edeh on all nine counts.

The court sentenced him to five years’ imprisonment without an option of fine on each of counts one to seven, which bordered on fraudulent false accounting.

He was also sentenced to two years’ imprisonment without an option of fine on each of counts eight and nine, relating to unauthorised access to a computer system with intent to facilitate the commission of crimes.

The judge, however, ordered that all the sentences run concurrently.

This means Edeh will serve a total of five years in prison, rather than the cumulative 39 years, subject to any applicable legal developments.