A MAN who allowed his bank account to be used as part of a scheme to defraud people looking for student accommodation in Limerick has been handed a suspended two-year prison sentence.
Having heard facts in the case in May 2024, Judge Sarah Berkeley told Martin Awoke (26) that she would adjourn the case to give him an opportunity to find work and raise compensation for the injured parties.
Awoke, of Alexandra House, Tallaght, Dublin, pleaded guilty to handling the proceeds of crime on August 12, 2022.
The court heard he has no previous convictions.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court previously heard that two injured parties in this case were seeking student accommodation in Limerick and made payments of €5,940 and €3,880 respectively.
Awoke’s role was limited to allowing his bank account to be used, and had no involvement in the scheme itself, the court was told.
The court heard that the outstanding amount had been repaid.
The court heard last May that Awoke told Gardaí a friend from Nigeria was trying to send another person to Ireland and asked to use his account to send funds for them. Awoke said he withdrew the money in cash and handed it over.
Investigating Gardaí told Diana Stuart BL prosecuting, that this account did not tally with the transactions in Awoke’s bank account, which showed some cash had been withdrawn and a number of other transactions.
He was re-interviewed and gave a similar account to Gardaí.
Several references and a letter of apology were handed to the court. Defence counsel asked the court for time for his client to raise compensation for the injured parties, which he hopes to do with the assistance of family members.
Judge Berkeley noted that the injured parties in this case had lost their “hard-earned” money, which they were using to try to “send their children to college”.
Defence counsel said his client is working and has another offer of employment as a carer, asking the court to consider leaving his client without a conviction to allow him to take up employment.
Judge Berkeley declined this application, noting the court appreciated the difficulties faced by Awoke, but in the circumstances he was “lucky not to be going into custody”.
The judge said while the amount of money might be considered small, it had a big impact on the injured parties.
Having considered Awoke’s personal circumstances, his early guilty plea, and expressions of remorse, Judge Berkeley imposed a sentence of two years, suspended on strict conditions.
by Eimear Dodd
