By Francis Wilfred
Justice Lawu Lawan of the Yobe State High Court, Damaturu yesterday convicted and sentenced one Abubakar Sadiq Abubakar to 37 years imprisonment.
According to a press release issued by the Head, Media and publicity, Dele Oyewale, defendant was arraigned by the Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on a four- count charges bordering on obtaining by false pretence, criminal misappropriation, forgery and used forged documents as genuine to the tune of N29 million.
The convict, Abubakar approached the petitioners and introduced himself as a procurement officer of BUA Foods Plc and issued fake receipts to them for the purchase of sorghum from the company. He collected the sum of N29,175,000 from his victims. After reading all charges against him, the defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to him by the court, prompting the EFCC to put him to trial.
In the course of trial, prosecution counsel Mukhtar Ali Ahmed presented five witnesses and tendered several documents as exhibits before the court. Justice Lawan thereafter, convicted and sentenced Abubakar on count one with an option of fine to the tune of N100,000.00 or serve ten years imprisonment. While on count two the convict is to pay a fine of N5,000 or serve two years imprisonment.
On count three, the convict is to pay a fine of N100,000 or serve eight years imprisonment while on count four the judge ordered him to pay a fine of N60,000 or serve seven years jail term. The judge further ordered the convict to pay the sum of N29,175,000 to the petitioner or serve additional ten years imprisonment.
