Court Convicts 2 In Maiduguri For Fraud (Photos)

The Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, secured the conviction and sentencing of Mohammed Shettima to one-year imprisonment before Justice Umaru Fadawu of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri.

Shettima was alleged to have fraudulently sold a three-bedroom flat for N10, 000,000.00 (Ten Million Naira) to one Abba Mohammed Abdullahi only to discover that the ownership of the property was not genuine.

The charge reads: “That you, Mohammed Shettima sometime in September 2020 at Maiduguri within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court dishonestly induced Abba Mohammed Abdullahi to buy a House of three bedrooms from you; valued at N10, 000,000.00 (Ten Million Naira) which you are yet to hand over the keys to the House neither the said amount 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.”

The defendant pleaded ‘guilty’ when the charge was read to him.

Counsel for the prosecution, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed prayed the court to convict him while the defence counsel, H. Basharu asked the court to temper justice with mercy.

Justice Fadawu convicted and sentenced him to one-year imprisonment with an option of N200, 000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. The Judge further ordered the convict to pay the balance of N4.5m or, in default, serve five years prison term.

In another development, Justice Fadawu convicted and sentenced one Abdulmalik Ahmed on a one count charge bordering on criminal misappropriation to the tune of N177,000.00 (one hundred and seventy seven thousand naira).

Ahmed swindled his girlfriend of the said sum which he transferred from her bank account in trances of N77, 000.00 and N100, 000.00 to one Mohammmed Lawan Mustapha and Mohammed Gambo.

The count reads: “That you, Abdulmalik Ahmed between 22nd April, 2019 to 2nd May, 2019 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly misappropriated to your own use certain property to wit; the gross sum of N177, 000.00 (one hundred and seventy seven thousand naira) belonging to one Fatima Mohammed Yarima and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 308 and punishable under section 309 of the Penal Code Cap 102 Laws of Borno State respectively.”

The defendant pleaded ‘guilty’ when the charge was read to him.

Counsel for the prosecution, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed prayed the court to convict him as charged.

Justice Fadawu convicted and sentenced Ahmed to one year in prison with an option of N100, 000.00 fine.