Justice Agatha Okeke of the Federal High Court, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has sentenced one Dr. Bassey Goddy Usen to 14 years imprisonment without an option of fine.
Usen, a medical doctor and managing director, Ceephass Diagnostic Clinic/Surgery was prosecuted by the Uyo Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), on a two-count charge of obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N5 million.
One of the charges read, “That you, Bassey Goddy Usen, the Managing Director of Ceephass Diagnostic Clinic/Surgery on or about the 18th April, 2017 in Uyo, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N2,000,000.00 (Two million naira) from one Edodiong Essien under the pretence that the money will be used to execute contracts awarded to you by Akwa Ibom State Hospital Management Board, Uyo; a pretense you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act”.
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His “not guilty,” plea set the stage for his trial which commenced on October 24, 2018.
In the cause of the trial, prosecution counsel, Agbo S. Abuh presented four witnesses and tendered various exhibits which were admitted in evidence, and closed its case on February 28.
Delivering judgement on Monday, Justice Okeke noted that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and sentenced the defendant to seven years imprisonment on each of the two-count charges.
Though there was no option of fine, the prison terms will run concurrently with effect from the day of his arrest.
In addition, the convict would restitute the sum of N3 million to his victim as a condition for his release upon completion of his jail term.
Usen’s journey to prison began in 2018, when his victim, Edodiong Essien petitioned the EFCC, alleging that the convict approached him for a loan to enable him to execute a contract, purportedly awarded to him by Akwa Ibom State Hospitals Management Board for the supply of drugs to rural hospitals in the state.
While his claim for the loan is false, as the convict’s name did not feature as a contractor with the state’s Hospital Management Board, he flouted the terms of repayment, and furthermore, issued his victim with dud cheques.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
