5th August, 2020
A sitting at the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri, on Wednesday, committed one Bashir Ali to six months in prison for fraud.
The convict was prosecuted by the Maiduguri Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a one-count charge of misappropriation to the tune of N484, 600.00 (Four Hundred and Eighty-four Thousand, Six Hundred Naira).
The charge read, “That you, Bashir Ali sometime in 2018 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, being entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: N484,600.00 to Tanya Afro-Vet Consult Limited being the proceeds of sales of livestock feeds and drugs, did dishonestly misappropriate the entire sum and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 311 of the Penal Code Laws of Borno State Cap 102 Vol.3 0f 1994 and punishable under Section 312 of the same Law.”
He, however, pleaded guilty.
Following this, prosecution counsel, Benjamin Lawal Manji, prayed the court to convict and sentence him accordingly, while defence counsel, M.H Myshelia, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.
Justice Kumaliye convicted and sentenced Ali to six months imprisonment with N20,000.00 fine option.
The convict is also to pay up the outstanding balance of N154,600 to his former employers, failure of which he would have to spend six years in prison.
Ali’s journey to prison followed a petition to the EFCC from Dr Yazeed Kolo, CEO, Tanya Agro-Vet Consult Limited, in which he alleged that the convict, who was a staff of the company, made sales of livestock feeds and drugs to the tune of N484, 600.00 which he converted to his personal use.