Justice J K Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Kano, on Thursday convicted a school teacher, Idris Buhari and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment for offences bordering on obtaining by false pretence.
The convict who was prosecuted on a three-count charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was arrested following a complaint by Abdullahi Salisu Muhammad alleging that he gave the convict the sum of N500,000.00 for the processing of Hajj ticket in April, 2012, after he presented himself as a registered travelling agent.
But the convict allegedly diverted the funds to his personal use and all efforts to recover the money or get the ticket were futile.
He pleaded guilty when the charge was read to him. Justice Omotosho consequently convicted and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment.
The convict however received an option of N200, 000.00 fine considering the fact that he had restituted the victim the sum of N500,000.00.
Meanwhile, the anti-graft commission has arraigned one Abdulsalam Goni Sanda before Justice Olubunmi Banjoko of the Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Gudu, Abuja on a four-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N11,450,000.
Sanda was alleged to have presented himself as an ad hoc staff with the Saudi Arabian Embassy and also a travel agent with the capacity to secure visa for the complainant, one Bello Isah and 49 others who wanted to perform the 2014 hajj.
However, the suspect gave the petitioners photocopies of the visas and asked for full payment after which he promised that they will get the original copy from one Musa Ibrahim. The said Ibrahim collected the photocopies from the complainant and vanished into the thin air.
Efforts to get him or recover the money proved abortive.
The defendant pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.
In view of his plea, prosecuting counsel, Cosmos Ugwu, asked the court for a date for trial.
Counsel to the accused person, M. M. Gumsuri, urged the court to grant the accused to bail.
Justice Banjoko, admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N5million with two sureties in like sum. The sureties may be ordinary citizens resident in Abuja.
The case is adjourned to September 27, 2016 for trial.
