Former local government chairman jailed six years for stealing N22 million

An Osun State High Court on Monday in Ede sentenced a former local government chairman, Rufus Wole-Ojo, to six years imprisonment for stealing and using his position for personal gratification.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had on May 28, 2013 arraigned Mr. Ojo before the court on a three-count charge bordering on stealing, using his position for personal gratification and money laundering.

One of the charges against the convict reads: “You, Chief Rufus Woleola Ojo (Carrying on Business under the name and style of Rulekal Ventures) and others at large sometimes in December 2006 at Orolu Local Government Area within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud fraudulently converted to your own use the sum of N22,058,021.30k (Twenty Two Million, Fifty Eight Thousand and Twenty One Naira, Thirty Kobo), property of Orolu Local Government Area of Osun State entrusted to you whilst you were its Executive Chairman.”

The court found the former local government boss guilty of two of the charges and sentenced him to three years for each of the charges. The sentence will run concurrently; implying he will only spend two years in jail

Justice David Oladimeji discharged the convict of the charge of money laundering.