Man Defrauds Four Victims Of N2.4m

…Under Pretence Of Securing FG Jobs

One Nuhu Lawan, who defrauded four persons of N2.4 million with a promise of securing federal government jobs for them, has been convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment.

Lawan was convicted on Thursday by Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court in Maiduguri.

Kumaliya was however, given a fine of N150,000 as an option.

The conviction followed his prosecution by the Maiduguri zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on an amended one-count of obtaining by false pretence.

The charge read, “That you, Nuhu Mohammed Lawan, on the 18th May, 2018 at Maiduguri, Borno State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did dishonestly induce (1) Muyibat Lawan (2) Moses Maichibi (3) Mrs. Olatundun and (4) Ummu Khulthum to deliver to you the sum of N2,400,000.00 (Two Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira only), via your GT Bank Account No. 024821793, under the guise of securing them employment with an agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria 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.”

He pleaded guilty to the charge, following which prosecution counsel, Manji Benjamin, adopted the facts of the case, tendered some documents that were admitted in evidence and urged the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly.

Defence counsel, S. Tijan,i prayed the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing the defendant.

Justice Kumaliya convicted and sentenced the defendant to one year imprisonment, with N150,000 option of fine.

EFCC Spokesman, Dele Oyewale, in a statement said: “Lawan’s journey to prison began on May 18, 2020, when he defrauded four job applicants the sum of N2.4million, by promising them employment in a Federal government agency. He neither offered them the jobs nor returned their money to them.”