Court jails two ATM fraudsters three years in Kano

Glory Ebomah

Justices Maryam Sabo and Abdu Maiwada of the Kano State High Court have convicted and sentenced David Omoude Victor and Abba Ahmad Ibrahim to three years imprisonment for Automated Teller Machine, ATM fraud.

They were jailed on Wednesday, October 12, 2022, based on their pleas of “guilty” to one-count separate charge, upon being arraigned by the Kano Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The charge against Victor read: “That you, DAVID OMOUDE VICTOR, ‘m’, on or about July 2022 in Kano, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, attempted to commit cheating and  in such attempt did a certain act towards the commission of the said offence to wit: possession of vital information of GTBank debit card belonging to Hashimu Sule, Stanbic IBTC debit card belonging to Zainab, O. Shobowale, Access Bank debit card belonging to Amobi Remigus Ikeh and GTBank debit card of Haa-Isa Lawal, and that you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 95 of the Penal Code Law.”

The charge against Ibrahim read: “That you Abba Ahmad Ibrahim sometime in February 2022 at Kano within the jurisdiction of this court with intent to commit cheating attempted to transport 28 automated teller cards of Access Bank, that do not belong to you, concealed in foodstuffs to Egypt and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 95 of the penal code and punishable by Section 322 of the same law.”

They both pleaded guilty to the charges when they were read to them individually.

In view of their pleas, prosecution counsel, Sadiq Husaini prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.  Defence counsel, A A Yusuf, however, sought the mercy of the court for lighter sentences for their clients.

Justice Sabo convicted and sentenced Victor to one year, six months imprisonment or an option of fine of N50,000 (Fifty Thousand Naira only), while Justice Maiwada convicted and sentenced Ibrahim to one year, six months imprisonment or an option of fine of N50,000.

Victor’s journey to the Correctional Centre started when operatives of the Commission arrested him during a raid at Jaba, Kano. Upon his arrest, it was discovered that he had in his possession incriminating documents and details of ATM cards belonging to different individuals.

Ibrahim, on the other hand, was arrested with 28 different ATM cards, belonging to different individuals, which he concealed in foodstuffs en route to Egypt.