Fraud: Man traced after 10 years on the run, jailed

A fugitive, Munir Adamu, has been sentenced to 12months imprisonment for offences bordering on criminal conspiracy and forgery preferred against him and two others by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

For over ten years Adamu had been on the run in an attempt to evade prosecution by the EFCC for the alleged offence.

The Abuja Geographic Information System, AGIS, had on May 14, 2007 petitioned the Commission, alleging that, “one Husain S. A. Ismaila, a staff of AGIS intercepted one Engr. Nicoholas Agomu with a re-instatement letter in respect of Plot 50, Cadastral Zone B03, Wuye District, Abuja suspected to be forged”.

The complainant named Onwuka Lambert and Omachunu Monday as accomplices in the alleged offence.

Upon conclusion of its investigation, the EFCC preferred a four-count charge against the three suspects – Lambert, Monday and Adamu before Justice Abubakar Talba of the FCT High Court, Gudu, Abuja.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

When the case went into trial, only Lambert made himself available, while Monday and Adamu, who were 2nd and 3rd defendants respectively, remained elusive.

The prosecution in line with Section 352 (4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 applied to the court to exercise its discretion to continue with the trial in the absence of the 2nd and 3rd defendants, which was granted.

To prove its case, the prosecution called seven witnesses and tendered exhibits following which Lambert (1st defendant) was convicted and sentenced to seven years imprisonment without option of fine for obtaining N500, 000 from one Engr. Nicholas Agomuo by false pretence; seven years imprisonment with option of fine of N50, 000 for criminal conspiracy, and seven years imprisonment with option of fine of N50, 000 for forgery, while Monday and Adamu were convicted in absentia.

However, luck failed Adamu as he was apprehended by the EFCC and brought before the court for sentencing.

On September 26, 2017 Justice Talba, sentenced the convict (Adamu) to six months imprisonment and N50, 000 fine for conspiracy and six months imprisonment with an option of fine of N50, 000 for forgery.