Justice Mojisola Olatoregum of a Federal High Court in Lagos, on Tuesday, further adjourned until June 3, to sentence a former acting Director General of NIMASA, Calistus Obi, convicted of fraud charges.

Thelagostimes recall that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), charged Obi with eight counts of fraud.

He was charged along with one Alu Dismas, who was aide to a former D-G of NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi.

Also charged are two companies, Grand Pact Ltd and Global Seal Investment Ltd.

On May 23, the court had convicted the defendants, after it found them guilty of allegations contained in the charge.

Delivering her judgement, which lasted for about two and half hours, Justice Olatoregun had first highlighted chronological sequence of proceedings and arguments during the trial.

The court had accordingly, found the first defendant guilty of counts five, six, seven and eight of the charge, and also found the second defendant guilty of counts two and four of the charge

The court had then adjourned the case for counsel to address the court on sentencing.

On Tuesday, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo apprared for the EFCC while Messrs Mobolaji Kuti and Collins Ogbonna appeared for the first to fourth defendants.

Addressing the court, the prosecutor urged that the defendants be punished according to the provisions of the law, by impoising the requisite sentence.

Oyedepo contended that the maximum sentence be imposed by the court, especially as the defendants had allowed the court to go through the rigours of full trial, without bothering to take advantage of the provisions of section 270 of the ACJA.

He argued that for wasting the time of the court which ultimately found them guilty of the offence, the defendants are thus, not qualified to enjoy the discretion of the court in not imposing maximum sentence.

Citing the provisions of section 15(3) of the Money Laundering Act, prosecution argued that the law has limited the courts discretion, by providing that the court can sentence a defendant to 14 years imprisonment, but not below seven years.

On his part, second defence counsel, (Ogbonna) urged the court to give justice a “human face”

He sued for a non-custodian sentence for the second convict, who he described as a mere “conduit pipe” used to deliver money to his superiors.

According to him, the second convict did not benefit from the said funds but had only acted on instructions, adding that he had an aged father and a little baby who just turned one year.

After listening to respective submissions of counsel, Justice Olatoregun deferred sentence until June 3, and ordered the convicts to be remanded in Ikoyi prison, pending sentence.