POS operator gets six months jail term for fraud in Maiduguri

Etim Ekpimah

A High Court in Maiduguri, Borno State, on November 11, 2021, convicted and sentenced one Yusuf Abubakar to six months imprisonment for the theft of N600,000.00 (six hundred thousand naira).

Justice Aisha Kumaliya convicted Yusuf on a two-count charge preferred against him by the Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The convict who is a POS operator, on the pretext of carrying out a ‘mobile banking’ transaction, fraudulently transferred the sum of N600, 000.00 to his personal account from the account of one Isa Jibrin without his consent.

The convict transferred the said sum into an account named ‘Ummate’ and directed one Yahaya Hassan to withdraw it on his behalf.

Count one reads: “That you Yusuf Abubakar sometime in November 2020 in Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did take dishonestly the sum of three hundred thousand naira (N300,00.00) from the bank account number 228241769 domiciled in Zenith Bank Plc. belonging to Isa Jibrin without his consent and thereby committed theft contrary to Section 286 Penal Code Laws of Borno State 1994 and Punishable under section 287 of the same Law.”

Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said Abubakar pleaded ‘guilty’ when the charges were read to him.

Upon his plea, prosecution counsel, Fatsuma Mohammed reviewed the facts of the case, tendered some documents that were admitted in evidence and prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly.

Justice Kumaliya thereafter convicted and sentenced Yusuf to six months imprisonment on count two without an option of fine. On count one, the convict was ordered to pay a fine of N50, 000.00.

Justice Kumaliya further ordered that the convict pay the sum of N500, 000.00K in restitution to the victim. Where he defaults, the convict shall serve a five-year jail term.