Surety Bags 3 Years for Impersonation ....Another, One Year for Fraud

Justice J.K. Omotosho of the Federal High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on January 17, 2019 convicted and sentenced Festus Aniedel to three years imprisonment without an option of fine.

Aniedel had stood surety for Victor Etsede, a suspect being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for fraud.

But beyond standing surety for Etsede, investigations by the EFCC revealed that the identification card presented by Aniedel in which he claimed to be a staff of the Rivers State Sports Council, was forged. He had used the card to pose as a Level 12 officer working at the Council.

At the point of arraignment, he pleaded "guilty" to a three-count charge bordering on “conspiracy, forgery and uttering”, which was preferred against him the EFCC.

Justice Omotosho convicted and sentenced him accordingly.

In a related development, the Kaduna Zonal Office of the Commission on January 17, 2019 secured the conviction of Umar Galadima at the Federal high court sitting in Kaduna, Kaduna State.

The convict was arraigned on a one-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence. He was said to have defrauded and obtained the sum of N5.3 million from one Jazime Isah Mustapha for selling a house at No 16 Tola Road Badarawa, Kaduna which he already sold to another person.

Upon arraignment, the defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charge.

The charge reads: “That you, Umar Galadima, sometime in February 2017, in Kaduna within the judicial Division of the Federal High Court with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N5,300,000 (Five Million Three Hundred Thousand Naira) from one Jazime Isah Mustapha under the false pretence that you are the rightful owner of the property situate and known as No. 16 Tola Road, Badarawa, Kaduna which you claim you have the right to sell same and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 ( 1 ) ( a ) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offence Act 2006 and Punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act”.

In his judgement, Justice S.M. Shuaibu sentenced him to one year in prison and another one year, if he fails to pay the balance of the money as restitution to the victim.