A Borno State High Court in Maiduguri has sentenced a woman, Dije Sale, to 34 years imprisonment for fraud.
Justice Umaru Fadawu found her guilty of forgery, use of false documents and obtaining N66 million under false pretences in the case prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The convict was said to have forged a “Purchase Order” and used the same to defraud the nominal complainant under the guise of executing a purported contract awarded to her by FHI 360, a non-governmental organization.
Dije was arraigned on July 1, 2020 on a three-count charge but pleaded “not guilty”.
The prosecution counsel, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed called four witnesses and tendered several documents admitted in evidence.
Justice Fadawu said the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. “The court is convinced that the defendant is guilty of all the three counts as charged.”
The judge convicted the defendant and sentenced her to 14 years on count one, 10 years on count two and 10 years on count three.
The jail terms will be served concurrently. Dije was ordered to pay N54 million to the complainant in restitution.
“If she defaults, the convict shall serve 10 years imprisonment which will run consecutively,” Fadawu ruled. ##
