Justice S.S. Ogunsanya of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Thursday, July 10, 2025, convicted and sentenced one Peter Nwogu, also known as Dr. NDC Peters, to 17 years imprisonment for property fraud to the tune of N78.7m.
He was arraigned alongside his company, DSCL Services Consulting Limited, on Tuesday, November 12, 2013, on a 20-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and issuance of dishonoured cheques before Justice K.A.Jose of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos .
Peters allegedly placed advertisements for lease of property in newspapers and a couple of other publications, using the name of his outfits, Diplomatic Service Consultancy Limited and Christian Defence Fellowship, a non-governmental organization.
Subsequently, he allegedly collected money from various people under the pretext of letting properties to them, which he never did.
One of the counts reads, “Nwogu Peter (a.k.a. Dr. N.D.C. Peters) and DSCL Services Consulting Limited, on or about the 16th day of February, 2009, in Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division, by false pretence, and with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N5,400,000 (Five Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira) by false pretence from Mrs. Christie Abutu-Obiozo by falsely representing to her that the said sum represented two years rent in respect of your property measuring three-bedroom flat with one-room boys-quarter lying, and being situate at No. 4 Kingsley Emu Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos,which representation you know to be false”.
When the charges were read to him, he pleaded “not guilty”, thereby leading to his full trial.
During the trial, the prosecution counsel, Babatunde Sonoiki, tendered several documents that were admitted as evidence by the court.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Ogunsanya found the defendant guilty as charged and sentenced him to 17 years imprisonment, without an option of fine.
He was also ordered to restitute the complainants.
