A Federal High Court in Calabar, Cross River State, has sentenced Dr. Geraldine Orok Ita to seven years imprisonment for fraud involving N127.6 million.
Presiding over the case, Justice Rosemary Oghogho-rie found Ita guilty on a 12-count charge of forgery and fund diversion, as prosecuted by the Uyo Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The charges detailed how Ita forged corporate documents and unlawfully took possession of funds meant for Sharpnet Concept Limited and ROK Projects Limited. Evidence presented in court revealed that she manipulated company records, removed directors, and reallocated shares to benefit herself, falsely claiming to be the second wife of the late Engr. Orok Okonkon Ita.
Her fraudulent activities included forging an annual return document and diverting N45 million from a University of Calabar project into her personal account. Despite pleading not guilty, the court ruled that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Ita’s conviction follows a 2019 petition by the affected companies, leading to her arrest, trial, and eventual sentencing. She will serve her term in the Nigeria Correctional Centre.
