Wilson Ujuwaren, Abuja: The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has secured the conviction of one Abdulhamid Mohammed before Honourable Justice Usman Malam Na-Abba of the Kano State High Court on a two count charge of Criminal Breach of Trust and Cheating.
Abdulhamid was convicted by the court and sentenced to three years imprisonment or pay a fine of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira Only) on count one while on count two, he was sentenced to serve three years imprisonment without option of fine. The convict was also ordered to restitute the sum of N8,970,000 to the complainant and failure to restitute the sum, the convict is to serve additional prison term of seven years.
The convict was arraigned by the EFCC on the 20th day of June 2015 on a two count charge of Criminal breach of trust and Cheating before the same court. Upon arraignment, he pleaded not guilty and in order to prove the case against the convict, prosecution, called three witnesses and tendered nineteen exhibit.
The convict was called as the only witness in his defence.
The convict’s journey to prison started when the commission received a petition from one Kayode Olatunji on behalf of the complainant, Alhaji Amodu Ascon alleging that the convict approached his client, the complainant to buy Automative Gas Oil on credit. On that request, two trucks loaded with 66,000 litres of AGO worth N8,844,000 was delivered to the convict on promise that he would pay after three weeks. In addition, the convict issued two post dated cheques of AfriBank and Oceanic Bank respectively in the sum of N8,976,000. Both cheques were returned unpaid due to lack funds in the account. It was further revealed during investigation that the AfriBank account of the of the convict was even dormant. Another fact from the investigation revealed that the convict used his WEMA Bank account instead of the banks he issued the complainant to receive payment by Etisalat where he delivered the AGO to.
Since that transaction which occurred in early 2011, the convict fled Kano but was eventually arrested in Lokoja by bank officials sequel to a Post No Deposit order that was placed on his accounts by the EFCC.
