Onari Duke Looses Court Battle To Employee Accused of Stealing $110,267.57

It was all praise and thanksgiving to her God for Ebele Mbanugo, a former emoloyee of the wife of the former Governor of Cross River State, Mrs Onari Duke who was  accused of defrauding Mrs Duke's NGO, the Child Survival and Development Organisation of Nigeria, of the sum of $110,267.57 between September 2009 and October 2011, a verdict of a discharge and acquittal by Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Lagos state Special Offences Court in Ikeja.

The former first lady, accotsing to the Punch Newspaper, alleged that Mbanugo misappropriated the money raised for the purpose of purchasing mammogram machines for the detection of breast cancer. Offences, contravene sections 265(7) and 278(1) (b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo in her judgement delivered said;

The prosecution failed to prove that the money misappropriated belonged to Mrs Duke. Mrs Duke was not called to testify in this case. The testimony of the defendant showed how three mammogram machines were bought from General Electric for $133,000, which is a sum higher than the sum allegedly misappropriated by the defendant. The prosecution failed to prove the source of the funds or that the defendant fraudulently converted them to her own use.

“The defendant had shown various brochures, pictures and documents highlighting her passion for fighting breast cancer as her mother and two aunts were diagnosed with the disease and she had said how early detection saved her mother. It is unfortunate that such a laudable initiative could be marred by conflict between Mrs Duke and the defendant over the ownership of the foundation. The defendant is hereby acquited and discharged.” Justice Taiwo said