Lagos court sentences Indian to 10 years in prison for procurement fraud

A Lagos state high court has convicted and sentenced Chandra Singh to 10 years imprisonment for procurement fraud. 

Singh, an Indian, was arraigned on a 19-count charge bordering on alleged retention of stolen property and bribery to the tune of N816,361,386.75.

The charges were preferred against him by the Lagos zonal directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The defendant was first arraigned before I.O Ijelu on November 24, 2022.

One of the counts reads: “That Chandra Prankash Singh, on or before 1st of January, 2021, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, whilst in the employment of African Natural Resources and Mines Limited, solicited indirectly to confer undue advantage for your company, CVN Engineering Limited, in order that you influence your employee to award the supply of items costing N365,757,457.00 to CVN Engineering Limited.”

Another count reads: “That Chandra Prankash Singh, on or before 1st of January, 2021, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, whilst in the employment of African Natural Resources and Mines Limited, solicited indirectly to confer undue advantage for your company, Neo Paints Nigeria Limited, in order that you influence your employee to award the supply of items costing N243,141,638.75 to Neo Paints Nigeria Limited.”

Singh was also alleged to have dishonestly retained $4,150 belonging to the African Natural Resources and Mines Limited. 

He pleaded “not guilty” to all the counts, prompting the commencement of his trial.

Bilikisu Buhari, prosecution counsel, called nine witnesses and tendered several documentary evidence to prove the case against him. 

In his ruling, Ijelu, the trial judge, found him guilty on counts fourteen to eighteen, and sentenced him to 10 years without an option of fine. 

Singh was ordered to make restitution of N345 million to his victim.