Gombe State High Court has convicted and sentenced one George Habu Nuhu to six months imprisonment for fraud.
Nuhu was prosecuted by the Gombe Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on a one-count charge of intent to defraud.
The charge reads: “That you George Habu Nuhu between March 2018 and November 2019 at Gombe, Gombe State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court with intent to defraud obtained the aggregate sum of N7,678,000 (Seven Million, Six Hundred and Seventy-eight Thousand Naira) property of Shehu Makama which you claimed that the money was payment for the “madrid timber log” and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 320 of the Penal Code Law and punishable under Section 322 of the same Law.”
The EFCC in a statement on its official X handle said Nuhu pleaded “guilty” to the charge when it was read to him upon which prosecution counsel, S.E. Okemini urged the court to convict and sentence him accordingly.
However, the defence counsel, Yusuf A. Ali, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.
Delivering the judgment, Justice J.A. Kereng convicted and sentenced Nuhu to six months imprisonment with an option of fine of N60,000 (Sixty Thousand Naira).
The judge also ordered that the convict in addition, would restitute the sum N7,678,000 (Seven Million, Six Hundred and Seventy-eight Thousand Naira), being proceeds of his crime to his victim within six months, beginning from May 2024.