The Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction and sentencing of one Darlington Ogihonmwanghomwan before Justice A. Isiaka of the Kaduna State High Court, sitting in Kaduna.
Ogihonmwanghomwan was prosecuted on a one-count charge bordering on cheating to the tune of N1.2 million (One Million, Two Hundred Thousand Naira).
The charge reads: “That you Darlington Ogihonmwanghomwan (while being the operator of Hale Bird Poultry Company) sometime in December, 2023 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court cheated one Zainab Baloni by dishonestly inducing her to deliver to you the sum of N1,200,000.00 (One Million, Two Hundred Thousand Naira) only which was the property of the said Zainab Baloni and that you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 306 (a) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under Section 307 of the same Law.”;
Upon the reading of the charge, he pleaded “guilty,” prompting the prosecution counsel, M. U. Gadaka, to urge the court to convict and sentence him accordingly.
Justice Isiaka subsequently sentenced Ogihonmwanghomwan to three years imprisonment or an option of a N100,000.00 (Hundred Thousand Naira) fine.
Ogihonmwanghomwan’s journey to prison began in 2023 following a petition filed by his victim. According to the petition, the victim encountered the convict through his business account on Instagram, where he presented Hale Bird Poultry Company as a multi-billion naira agricultural firm involved in mass production of poultry and eggs.
He allegedly promised investors a five percent return on investment every two days for 15 days each month, with the ability to withdraw funds at any time.
After paying him a total of N1.2 million, the victim claimed that Ogihonmwanghomwan failed to deliver on his promises and refused to refund the money, despite repeated efforts.
