Court convicts three for land fraud in Borno

Glory Ebomah

The Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the conviction and sentencing of one Bulama Bukar alongside Sadiq Abubakar and Ayuba Andrew before Justice Umaru Fadawu of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri on six counts amended charge bordering on land fraud.

They were alleged to have in March 2021, obtained the sum of N1,070,000.00 (one million, seventy thousand naira) from one Yakubu Dibal under the guise that the said amount represents payment for the purchase of a purported plot of land.

Count two of the charge reads: “That you Bulama Bukar, Sadiq Bukar and Ayuba Andrew sometime in March 2020 at Maiduguri, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, induced Yakubu Dibal to deliver to you the sum of N370,000 (three hundred and seventy thousand naira) under the guise that the said amount represents payment for the purchase of a purported plot of land No. 85 measuring 50ft by 100ft laying and situated at Njimtilo, Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State 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.”

The defendants were first arraigned on June 22, 2021 and pleaded “not guilty”, which prompted the commencement of full trial during which prosecution counsel, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed, presented two witnesses and tendered several documents in evidence.

At the close of the prosecution’s case, the defendants pleaded “guilty” to a further amended charge.

Delivering Judgment on the 28th February 2022 Justice Umaru Fadawu found them guilty but reserved sentencing till March 9, 2022.

At the resumed sitting on Wednesday, March 9, 2022, Justice Fadawu sentenced the convicts to six months imprisonment on count one and two years each on counts two, four, five, and six; and six years imprisonment on count three.

The sentences are to run concurrently.