Ali Abare, Gombe
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Gombe Zonal Office, said it has secured the conviction of one Usman Muhammad Dajji, a staff of the Sharia Court of Appeal, before Justice Sa’ad Muhammad of the Gombe State High Court on two-count charge bordering on cheating.
The anti-graft agency, in a statement posted on its website, monitored in Gombe, on Wednesday, said Dajji, an official of Gombe State Sharia Court of Appeal staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society, came under investigation by the agency, in February 2017, following a petition by one Sani Abdullahi of Samomasco Nigeria Limited, Gombe.
Abdullahi, whose company specialises in computer supplies and accessories, said in his petition that he was approached sometime in December 2013 with a contract proposal to supply 3,000 units of laptops to the Sharia Court of Appeal Cooperative Society.
Dajji, however, asked him to pay the sum of N550, 000.00 as commitment and processing fee before the execution of the contract.
The plaintiff told the court that the requested money was paid after being convinced as all documents relating to the contract were presented.
However, unknown to Abdullahi, the convict forged the official stamp of the Chief Registrar, Sharia Court of Appeal, Gombe and the signature of one Abubakar Aliyu, Treasurer of the Cooperative Society, for the furtherance of his dubious activities and diverted the said sum to his personal used.
Count one of the charge reads, “That you, Usman Muhammad Dajji while being the Chairman of Gombe State Sharia Court of Appeal Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society, and in such capacity, sometimes in December, 2013 or thereabout at Gombe, Gombe State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, did fraudulently induce one Sani Abdullahi the sum of five hundred and fifty thousand naira (N550,000.00) under a disguise of facilitating Irrevocable Standing Order from the Office of Accountant General of Gombe State in favour of Samomasco Nigeria Limited which you never did, instead diverted same to your personal use and thereby committed an offence of cheating contrary to the provisions of Section 320 (a) and (b) of the Penal Code and Punishable under Section 322 of the same law.”
When the charge was read to him, the accused pleaded guilty instantly, prompting the prosecution counsel, S.M. Aliyu, to urge the court to convict him and sentence him according to law.
In his judgement, Justice Sa’ad pronounced the accused person guilty as charged, convicted and sentenced him to six months imprisonment for the two-count charge.
The judge, however, gave him an option of N30, 000 as fine.