Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court has convicted and sentenced Saleh Isa Abdullahi to six months’ imprisonment over a fraud case involving N1.34 million.
The case was prosecuted by the Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on a one-count charge of criminal misappropriation.
According to the charge, Abdullahi dishonestly converted N1,340,000, which belonged to one Faruq Muhammad Ali, for his personal use. The funds had been entrusted to him for the purchase and supply of 100 bags of cement in Maiduguri, but were instead diverted without the owner’s consent.
During the proceedings, the defendant pleaded guilty to the charge.
Following the plea, prosecuting counsel Mukhtar Ali Ahmed urged the court to convict the defendant accordingly, while defence counsel A.B. Usman appealed for leniency, informing the court that the convict had refunded the money.
In her judgment, Justice Kumaliya sentenced Abdullahi to six months in prison, with the option of a N100,000 fine.
The court also ruled that the offence violated Sections 296 and 297 of the Penal Code Law.
