The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC Maiduguri Zonal Office has secured the conviction of one Abdullateef Audu for obtaining the sum of N15 million under false pretence.
Audu, sometime in May 2018 deceived his victim, Awana Rijiya, into parting with the said sum in the guise that he had foodstuffs to sell. After collecting the money, he broke his own part of the business deal, and it became difficult to get the money back from him.
Rijiya petitioned the Maiduguri office of the EFCC on September 26, 2018. In the course of investigations, N12,300,000 was recovered from Audu and released to Rijiya on bond.
Subsequently, Audu was on March 25, 2019 charged before Justice Fadawu Umar of the Borno State High Court, sitting in Maiduri. The proceeding was however, stalled as his counsel challenged the jurisdiction of the court.
The trial judge, thereafter, ordered the remand of the defendant in prison, and adjourned to April 9, 2019 for determination of the application.
However, at the resumed sitting, when the court was to rule on the application, Audu, pleaded “guilty” to a one-count charge of cheating preferred against him, following a plea bargain with the prosecution.
Justice Umar, subsequently convicted him and sentenced him to one year in prison, with an option of N1 million as fine. He was committed to prison pending the payment of the fine.