Court jails man for land racketeering in Maiduguri
Abdullateef Fowewe
Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court in Maiduguri sentenced Kolo Ngwari to one year in prison for cheating on Thursday.
Ngwari was re-arraigned by the Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on an amended charge involving N1,650,000 (One Million Six Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira).
However, the court found him guilty of defrauding his victim, leading to the conviction and sentencing.
The count reads, “That you Kolo Ngwari, sometime in August, 2018 in Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, at Pompomari bye pass layout, Maiduguri, Borno State dishonestly induced Alfred Buba Mbaya to deliver to you the sum of N1, 650,000.00 (One Million Six Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) under the guise that the said amount represents payment for a plot of land with grant No. BO/707, at Pompomari bye Pass, Maiduguri, Borno State and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 320 (a) and punishable under Section 322 of the Penal Code Cap 102 Laws of Borno State.”
The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge prepared against him by the EFCC.
Counsel for the prosecution, Faruku Muhammad prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly, while defence counsel M. A Sani urged the court to temper justice with mercy.
Justice Kumaliya thereafter convicted and sentenced Ngwari to one year imprisonment with an option of fine of N200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira).
The convict’s road to the Correctional Centre began when he collected the sum of N1,650,000 from Alfred Buba Mbaya for a plot of land. He neither delivered the land nor returned the money to the victim.
In another development, one Simon Musa was arraigned by the Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the EFCC on a two-count charge bordering on internet fraud to the tune of $800,000.00 USD.
Count one of the charge reads, “That you, Simon Musa sometime in 2023, whilst being a friend with Vincent Marcus (convict) in Maiduguri, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court induce members of the public using electronic message through your G-mail account Simonscott32@gmail.com and obtained the sum $800,000.00 USD and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him.
Counsel for the prosecution F. Muhammad prayed the court for a trial date and to remand the defendant in a Correctional Centre.
Justice Kumaliya thereafter adjourned the matter till February 6, 2025 for the hearing of bail application and commencement of trial. He remanded the defendant in a Correctional Centre.
