3 Businessmen Jailed For 72 Years Over N187m Fraud
Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court in Lagos were on Thursday convicted and sentenced three businessmen, Uwem Ntia, Isa Hassan and Mfom Iniunam to total of 72 years imprisonment, for defrauding a company of N187 million.
Justice Buba also ordered that the two companies, Kafisto Oil and Gas Limited and M4 Connections Nigeria Limited, used by the convicts to perpetrate the fraud be forfeited to the federal government of Nigeria.
The convicts were arraigned before the court by the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Nigeria Police Force, Ikoyi-Lagos, on a three count charge of conspiracy, obtaining under false pretence and fraud, which they allegedly committed sometimes in 2015.
The police in charge accused then and Olayemi Ajileye David, and Reagan Akaiso (still at large) and Alhaji Sulaiman Yerima (now deceased), conspired among themselves and fraudulently obtain the sum of N187 million from Dashad and Company Limited, under false pretence that they will supply the company America Dollars equivalent.
The convicts were also said to have obtained the said money from their victims at 5, Ogun Street, Osborne Foreshore Estate, Ikoyi, and at Marina Branch of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, all in Lagos State.
The offences according to the prosecutor, Mr. E. A. Jackson, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), are contrary to Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the act.
The convicts had pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
During their trial, the prosecutor had called witnesses, among who are officials of the defrauded company, and also tendered several documentary evidences, which were admitted by the court.
At the closed of the trial, all the convicts, filed no-case-submissions, which were dismissed by the court. And upon the dismissal of their no-case-submissions, they all opened their defence.
However, delivering judgment in the case on Wednesday, Justice Buba, after citing several authorities, held that the prosecution was able to prove its case against all the convicts beyond every reasonable doubt.
The judge, who described the convicts not as ‘Petty crooks but Grand Crooks’, said the prosecution have been able to convince the court that there is credible evidence on all the counts of the charge against the convicts. He therefore uphold the prosecution’s case against them all.
After the verdict was handed down, the convicts lawyers in their allucutors, pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy.
Responding, the prosecutor, CSP Jackson, however told the court to discountenance the defence plea, but rather he urged the court to juxtaposed the lost the victims of their crime suffered. And to sentence the convicts as required by the Sections of the Advance Fee Fraud (AFF) 2006.
In sentencing the convicts, Justice Buba held that he will tamper justice with mercy as pleaded by the convicts’ counsels, as well as prescribed by the AFF Act, 2006.
Consequently, Justice Buba sentenced the first convict, Ntia and his companies to 10 years each on charges of conspiracy and obtained under false pretence.
While the second and third convicts, Hassan and Iniunam were given seven years each on charges of conspiracy, obtaining under false pretence and fraud.
The judge also ordered that all the assets of the convicted companies be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Justice Buba however, ordered that jail terms of the first convict, Ntia is to commence from January 29, 2016, while that of second convict, Hasaan, is to commence from June 28, less the days he spent in detention, and that of third convict, Iniunam, is to start from November 18, 2015.
The judge also ordered that the jail terms shall run concurrently.
