Man Goes to Jail for N1.640m Fraud

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Maiduguri Zonal Office, on Monday, May 17, 2019, secured the conviction of one Mohammed Mohammed before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, sitting in Maiduguri, the state capital. Mohammed was prosecuted by the EFCC on a one-count charge, bordering on cheating and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N1.640million.

Mohammed’s journey to prison started with a petition written against him by Musa Adamu, who alleged that the convict dishonestly induced him to pay him the sum of N1.640,000 (One Million Six Hundred and Forty Thousand Naira) only, which he collected under the false pretence that the amount was the cost of a plot of land, situated at Bakassi, Maiduguri, which he sold to the plaintiff.

The charge reads: “That you, Mohammed Mohammed sometime in the month of August, 2018 at Maiduguri, Borno State, within the Jurisdiction of this honourable court, dishonestly induced one Musa Adamu to deliver to you the sum of N1.640, 000.00 (One Million Six Hundred and Forty Thousand Naira) only, that the said sum would be used for purchase of a plot of land situated at Bakassi Maiduguri and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 320(a) and 322 of the Penal Code Law of Borno State Cap. 102 Vol. 3 of 1994 respectively.”

Mohammed pleaded guilty to the one-count charge.

Following his guilty plea, counsel to the prosecution, Benjamin Manji prayed the court to convict him as charged.

Justice Kumaliya pronounced Mohammed guilty as charged and convicted him to six month imprisonment with an option of fine in the sum of N50, 000.00.

In another development, the arraignment of the Permanent Secretary of Borno Road Management Agency BORMA, Engr. Abba Yusuf by the Commission was stalled as a result of an objection raised by the defence counsel. Yusuf is standing trial alongside Mustapha Kura and Abubakar Mustapha.

He is facing a 36-counts charge, bordering on forgery and obtaining monies by false pretence to the tune of N118, 368,750 (One Hundred and Eighteen Million, Three Hundred and Sixty-eight Thousand, Seven Hundred and Fifty Naira) only.

Justice Kumaliya, after listening to the submissions made by the defence and the prosecution counsels, adjourned the matter to June 25, 2019 for ruling.