Company executive, one other convicted for fraud in Maiduguri

Glory Ebomah

The Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, secured the conviction and sentencing of one Muhammad Abdullahi Kulloma to one-year imprisonment before Justice Umaru Fadawu of Borno State High Court, Maiduguri.

Kulloma was prosecuted on one count amended charge of cheating to the tune of N19, 950,000.00 (Nineteen Million Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira).

The charge reads: “That you Muhammad Abdullahi Kulloma  and Mbuta Criterion Nigeria Limited sometime in August 2020 in Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court fraudulently induced one Abdulwahab Abba Aji to deliver to you the sum of Nineteen Million, Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N19,950,000.00) only via your Mbuta Criterion Nigeria Limited Company account No. 0458028956 domiciled in GT Bank Plc under the guise of executing a contract for the supply of water pumps awarded by Norwegian Refugee Council a Non- Governmental Organisation and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 320 (a) and 322 of the Penal Code Cap 102 Laws of Borno State.”

The defendant pleaded not guilty and the matter went into full trial during which the prosecution called several witnesses and tendered documents to prove the case against the defendant.

Delivering judgment today, Justice Fadawu found him guilty, convicted and sentenced him to a year imprisonment with an option of N100, 000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira).

The judge ordered the company, Mbuta Criterion Nigeria Limited to pay a fine of N100, 000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira); and the convict is not to be released until his company pays the fine.

In another development, one Alhaji Mamman Shuwa was convicted and sentenced to nine years imprisonment before Justice Umaru Fadawu of Borno State High Court, Maiduguri on a three-count amended charge for obtaining money under false pretence to the tune of N2m (Two Million Naira).

Count one read: “That you, Alhaji Mamman Shuwa sometime in January 2021, at Maiduguri within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud did obtain the sum of N2, 000,000.00 (Two Million Naira) only from Alhaji Musa Abdullahi of Abuja Sheraton, Maiduguri under the pretence that the said amount represents payment for the purchase of a purported plot of land N0. 525 on BOSA/153 laying and situate at Layin Hadiza, opposite Hadiza Memorial Primary and Secondary School, Abuja Sheraton Hotel, Maiduguri, in Maiduguri Metropolitan Local Government Area (MMC), Borno State which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under 1(3) of the same Act.”

Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecution called several witnesses and tendered several documents to prove the case against the defendant.

Justice Fadawu convicted and sentenced him to nine years imprisonment without the option of a fine. The Judge ordered the convict to pay the sum of N2m to his victim or serve an additional five years prison term, in default.