Justice Ismail Ijelu of the Lagos State Special Offences Court, Ikeja, has convicted Rahvet International Limited for fraudulently converting N21 million belonging to one Chioma Adeoye.

The firm was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on an amended one-count charge of stealing, contrary to Section 285 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

According to the charge, Rahvet International Limited, sometime in June 2021, within the Ikeja Judicial Division of the High Court, fraudulently converted to its own use the sum of N21 million, being the property of Chioma Adeoye.

The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge.

Following the plea, the prosecuting counsel, Anita Imo, called an EFCC operative, Leonard Ayakor, to review the facts of the case.

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

He stated that investigations revealed that N21 million was paid into the defendant’s account.

The witness further informed the court that the money was fully refunded to the complainant during the course of the investigation.

The prosecution tendered the petition written by the complainant, as well as the defendant’s statements. The documents were admitted in evidence and marked as exhibits by the court.

After reviewing the facts of the case and the defendant’s guilty plea, Justice Ijelu found Rahvet International Limited guilty as charged and convicted the company accordingly.

The court sentenced the company to a fine of N100,000, payable within 72 hours, and noted that full restitution of the N21 million had been made to the petitioner through the EFCC.