By ADENIKE AYODELE

An Ikeja Special Offences Court on Wednesday convicted a company, Rahvet International Ltd., for obtaining N21 million from a customer under false pretences.

The company was re-arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on an amended one-count charge of stealing, following a plea bargain agreement.

Following the guilty plea, EFCC counsel, Mrs Anita Imo, called an EFCC operative, Mr Leonard Ayakor, to present the facts of the case.

Ayakor told the court that the defendant approached the complainant, Mrs Chioma Adeoye, under the pretext of conducting research and induced her to pay money into the company’s bank account.

He said investigations revealed that a total sum of N21 million was paid into the defendant’s account.

The witness further stated that the money had been fully refunded to the complainant during the course of the investigation.

The prosecution tendered the complainant’s petition and the defendant’s statements as evidence. The court admitted the statements into evidence and marked them as exhibits.

Justice Ismail Ijelu thereafter convicted the company following the guilty plea and the review of facts by the prosecution.

Ijelu ordered the company to pay a N100,000 fine within 72 hours.

The court also noted that EFCC had fully restored the N21 million to the complainant.

Earlier, the EFCC stated that Rahvet International Ltd., in June 2021, fraudulently converted N21 million belonging to Adeoye for its own use.

According to the prosecution, the offence contravenes Section 285(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. (NAN)