The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Maiduguri Zonal Office, on Friday, May 17, 2019, secured the conviction of one Bunu Lawan Bukar (a.K.a Sani Ibrahim) before Justice Aisha B. Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, sitting in Maiduguri, the state capital. He was sentenced to six months prison term, respectively on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N161, 000.00.
Bukar conspired with one Nass now at large and checked into a hotel and pretended to make a payment for the services rendered to them by way of mobile funds transfer to the victims account.
However, during the process of making the payments to the hotel, Bukar edited a debit alert he received from his bank and showed the victim a fake alert message in order to deceive him.
Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Bunu Lawan Bukar (a.k.a Sani Ibrahim) and Nass (now at large) sometime in 2019 at Maiduguri within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Borno State, did conspire among yourselves to do an illegal act to wit: Cheating by intentionally inducing the receptionist of Muna Hotel to render services of hotel accommodation for seven (7) nights amounting to N161,000.00 (One Hundred and Sixty-one Thousand Naira) only which the receptionist will not do if not so deceived by you and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 96 (1) (a)and punishable under section 97 (1) of Penal Code Law Cap 102, Laws of Borno State.”
The accused person pleaded guilty to all the counts. Counsel for the prosecution, A. U Ringim prayed the court to convict the accused person as charged.
Justice Aisha Kumaliya, while delivering her Judgment said “having pleaded guilty to all the counts, you are hereby convicted accordingly.”
The judge sentenced the convict to six months imprisonment on each count with an option of fine in the sum of N10, 000 (Ten Thousand Naira) respectively, and ordered him to restitute the sum of N161, 000.00 (One Hundred and Sixty-one Thousand Naira) to the victim.
