An Enugu State High Court sitting in Agbani and presided over by Justice U.J. Mogboh has sentenced one George Amechi Igwesi to seven years in prison for defrauding a land buyer of N11.4 million.
The judgment, delivered on June 19, 2025, followed the successful prosecution of Igwesi by the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He was charged alongside his company, Georgeann Enterprises Limited, on two counts of obtaining money by false pretence and stealing.
The EFCC had accused Igwesi of fraudulently collecting N11.4 million from a buyer, Charles Emeka Okenwa, under the false claim that he owned two plots of land located along Amurri Road in Agbani, Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State. The transaction took place on July 1, 2022.
According to one of the charges:
“That you, George Amechi Igwesi and Georgeann Enterprises Limited, on or about the 1st day of July, 2022 in Agbani, Nkanu West LGA, by false pretence and with intent to defraud, obtained from Charles Emeka Okenwa the sum of N11,400,000 as payment for two plots of land, falsely claiming ownership of the said property.”
Igwesi had initially pleaded “not guilty” during his arraignment on October 19, 2023, which prompted a full trial.
The prosecution, led by EFCC counsel ACE II Michael Ikechukwu Ani, presented three witnesses and tendered several documents that were admitted as evidence.
Justice Mogboh, in his ruling, stated that the prosecution had successfully established its case beyond reasonable doubt.
He found Igwesi guilty on both counts and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment without the option of a fine.
In addition to the jail term, the court ordered Igwesi to undertake six months of community service within the premises of the High Court, in accordance with Section 392 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2007.
Furthermore, the court directed him to pay N7 million in restitution to the victim, Charles Okenwa, having already returned part of the stolen sum during EFCC investigations.
However, Georgeann Enterprises Limited, the second defendant in the case, was acquitted and discharged.
Igwesi was initially arrested by the EFCC on July 1, 2022, after investigations confirmed he had no legal ownership of the land in question and had neither handed over the property nor refunded the victim’s money.
