Justice Abdulhamid Yakubu of the Gombe State High Court, sitting in Gombe, yesterday, convicted and sentenced the duo of Abdulwahab. A.Magaji and Salihu Musa to nine years imprisonment for employment fraud and intent to defraud.

Magaji faced a one-count charge of employment scam, while Musa was arraigned on two-count charges of intent to defraud and conspiracy by the Gombe Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. This is coming as court also jailed fake bureau de change (BDC) operator, one Bana Alhaji Lawan, for one year.

On the the charge against Magaji, it reads: “That you Abdulwahab Adamu Magaji and Adamu Usman between January and December 2023 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court obtained the aggregate sum of Seven Million and Eight Hundred Thousand Naira ( N7,800,000) only from one Hajia Hauwa Ali which you claimed was payment for offer of an employment at Ministry of Health in Gombe, Gombe State and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 320 of the Penal Code Law and Punishable under Section 322 of the same Law.”

One of the charges against Musa reads: “That you Salihu Musa sometime in January, 2023 at Gombe, Gombe State within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, with intent to defraud, made false documents, to wit: Bank of America ATM card with card No 4658656032040012, Australia New Zealand Bank Debit card, etc, which you knew to be false document and there by committed an offence contrary to Section 362 of the penal code law and punishable under Section 364 of the same law.”

The defendants pleaded guilty when the charges were read to them, prompting prosecution counsel S.E Okemini to pray the court to convict and sentence them accordingly, while defence counsel, I.S Gadah and U.M Mojaji pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that the defendants were first time offenders.

Justice Yakubu thereafter convicted and sentenced Musa to six years imprisonment with an option to pay N60,000 (Sixty Thousand Naira) fine. He also forfeited iPhone S6 being the tool of his crime to the federal government, while Magaji bagged three years imprisonment or a fine of N30,000 (Thirty Thousand Naira).

In addition, Magaji was ordered to pay N7,800,000 (Seven Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira) being the proceeds of his crime to his victim within three months time, beginning from May 2024.

The convicts’ journey to the Correctional Centre began when Magaji was arrested for employment fraud and Musa for obtaining under false pretence. They were charged to court and convicted.

Court Jails Fake BDC Operator

Meanwhile, Justice A.K Dagat of the Federal High Court, Maiduguri has convicted and sentenced one Bana Alhaji Lawan to one year imprisonment.

Lawan was arraigned by the Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a one count charge for carrying out bureau de change businesses without an appropriate licence.

The lone- count read: “That you, Bana Alhaji Lawan between 2007 and 2024, in Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did carry on other financial business, to wit bureau de change business without a license issued by Central Bank of Nigeria contrary to Sections 57(5) and 59 of the Bank and other Financial Institutions Act, 2020.”

The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him.
Counsels to the prosecution, Faruku Muhammad and A. D Aliyu prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant as charged while counsel to the defendant, H. Waziri urged the court to temper justice with mercy.

Justice Dagat convicted and sentenced Lawan to one-year imprisonment with an option of N100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) fine.

Lawan bagged his imprisonment when he was arrested for illegally operating a bureau de change business in Maiduguri. He was charged to court and convicted.