Court convicts man for land scam in Kaduna

Etim Ekpimah

The Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the conviction and sentencing of one Simon Gailo before Justice M.T.M Aliyu of the Kaduna State High Court, Kaduna for offences bordering on cheating. He was alleged to have in December 2015 induced one Dominic Kassem to pay him N500, 000 for a piece of a land situated at Karuga New Extension, Kaduna on the guise that he was representative of the owner, one Alhaji Ubale Ibrahim.

But in 2017, when Kassem went to the site, he discovered that someone else had already erected a structure on the plot. He contacted Ubale Ibrahim who told him that he was not aware of the sale transaction.

The one count amended charge reads: ” That you Simon Gailo “m” sometime in December 2015, in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud induced one Dominic Kassem to deliver to you the sum of N500,000.00 (five hundred thousand naira) for the purchase of a property lying and situate at Karuga New Extension, Kaduna which property you claimed was entrusted to you by the owner and which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 320 of Penal Code Law (Cap. 110), Laws of Kaduna State, 1991 and punishable under Section 322 of the law”.

Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said on Monday that the suspect pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

In view of his guilty plea, the prosecution counsel, Precious C. Onyeneho urged the court to enter the terms of the plea bargain agreement as the judgment of the court in convicting and sentencing the defendant.

Justice Aliyu consequently convicted and sentenced the defendant to a term of 3 years imprisonment with an option of One Hundred Thousand Naira (N100, 000.00) fine.

The convict has already given the restitution sum of N500,000.00 to the victim.