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The Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on January 13, 2022 secured the conviction and sentencing of one Modu Kotoko to one year imprisonment before Justice Fadawu Umar of the State High Court, Maiguduri on a one-count amended charge which bordered on cheating to the tune of N10million (Ten Million Naira).
The convict was first arraigned on the 29th of January, 2021 on a count charge of obtaining money by false pretence and he pleaded not guilty, leading to the commencement of trial.
At the sitting on January 12, 2022, prosecution counsel, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed informed the court of the amended charge that was premised on the willingness of the defendant to enter into a ‘plea bargain agreement’ with the anti-graft agency. Consequently, the court ordered the defendant to take his plea to the amended charge.
Upon re-arraignment, Kotoko pleaded guilty to the one-count amended charge.
The amended charge reads: “That you Modu Ali Kotoko, sometime in May, 2019 in Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly induced Imrana Hashim Adam to deliver to you the sum of N10, 000, 000.00 (Ten Million Naira) under the guise of executing a contract with an NGO in Borno State and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 320 (a) and Punishable under Section 322 of the Penal Code Cap 102 Laws of Borno State.”
Based on his plea, the prosecution counsel, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant.
Justice Fadawu, in his judgment said the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and therefore convicted and sentenced the defendant to one year imprisonment and ordered that the jail term be served consecutively.
He however gave the convict an option of N200, 000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) fine.
