BY OWOLOLA Adebola
The Maiduguri Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today January 11, 2021 secured the conviction and sentencing of one Mala Mallam Yawudi to three and a half years in prison before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the State High Court Maiduguri for forgery and stealing to the tune of N645,000.00 (Six Hundred and Forty-Five Thousand Naira).
The convict pleaded guilty to the three-count charge preferred against him by the EFCC.
One of the counts reads: “That you Mala Mallam Yawudi, while being an Accountant of Works Department in Dikwa Local Government Area, Maiduguri, Borno State, sometime in 2014 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly misappropriated certain property to wit; the sum of N645, 000.00. (Six Hundred and Forty Five Thousand Naira) belonging to Bukar Wakil (now deceased) who was declared dead in November 2015, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 and punishable under Section 309 of the Penal Code Cap 102 Laws of Borno State of Nigeria.”
Another count reads: “That you Mala Mallam Yawudi, while being an Accountant of Works Department in Dikwa Local Government Area, Maiduguri Borno State, on the 11th-16th and 19th November, 2015 at Maiduguri, within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did fraudulently make a false document to wit: a Unity Bank Counter Cheque with Reference Number 1633, dated 10th November, 2015 in the name of Bukar Wakil (now deceased), knowing it to be forged and handed same to Unity Bank Plc Monday Market, Maiduguri, Borno State and thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 364 and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal code Law Cap 102, Laws of Borno State.”
Based on his plea, the prosecution counsel, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed urged the court to convict and sentence the defendant according.
However, counsel to the convict, Ibrahim Moguno pleaded with the court to “temper justice with mercy” considering the fact that the convict had been remorseful and has lots of dependents.
Justice Kumaliya, after listening to the parties, convicted the defendant on all three counts. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment without option of fine on count two, while he bagged one year and six months imprisonment on counts three and one, with the option of N50,000 and N100,000 fine respectively.