Pascal Arogorn Ibe
Justice Nasiru Saminu of the Kano State High Court on Thursday, August 27, 2020 convicted and sentenced one Salisu Alhassan, bureau de change (BDC) operator to four years imprisonment for fraud.
The convict was prosecuted on two-count charge of criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of funds.
One of the charges read, ”That you, Salisu Alhassan, being the director of Tankarawa Bureau De Change Limited, sometime in 2018 or thereabout at Kano State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did dishonestly convert to your personal use the sum of N7,140.000 (Seven Million, One Hundred and Forty Thousand Naira), property belonging to one Bala Ahmad Hamisu and that the said sum will be used in investing in forex (foreign exchange) businesses which representation you knew same to be false and thereby committed a criminal breach of trust, an offence contrary to Section 311(a) and punishable under Section 312 of Penal Code Law.”
Alhassan pleaded guilty to the charges, upon which prosecution counsel, Zarami Muhammad, reviewed the facts of the case and urged the court to convict him as charged. The defence counsel Chief I.C Ekpunobi, however, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.
Justice Saminu convicted and sentenced the defendant to two years imprisonment on each count with N150,000 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) option of fine on each of the counts
Besides the prison term, the convict is also to restitute the sum of N5,350,000 (Five Million Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) to his victim, failure of which he shall serve additional two years prison term.
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