A Federal High Court has sentenced Dr. Geraldine Orok Ita to seven years in prison for fraud and forgery involving over N127 million, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced Saturday.
Justice Rosemary Oghoghorie handed down the sentence after finding Ita guilty on twelve counts of document forgery and fund diversion totalling N127,686,594.87.
According to EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, the case stemmed from a 2019 petition by directors of Sharpnet Concept Limited and ROK Project Limited. The petition alleged that Ita fraudulently altered company documents to remove the original directors and falsely claimed to be the second wife of Engr. Orok Okonkon Ita, who died in 2004.
Prosecutors demonstrated that Ita forged multiple corporate documents, including annual returns forms, and changed the companies’ registered address. In one significant transaction, she diverted N45 million paid by the University of Calabar for project work through a First Bank account.
“The prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt,” Justice Oghoghorie stated before delivering the sentence. The conviction comes after a trial that began in 2019, during which prosecution counsel Joshua Abolarin presented what officials called “incontrovertible evidence.”
The commission’s investigation revealed that Ita had made unauthorised re-allotments of company shares and appointed a new company secretary as part of the scheme.
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