Manager Gets Six Years For N16m Fraud

Justice Ibrahim Wakil Jauro of the Yobe State High Court, sitting in Damaturu, on Tuesday, February 19, 2019 sentenced Mohammed Baba Isah, a manager in Damaturu-based MBC Synergy Limited to six years imprisonment.

Isah faced a three-count charge preferred against him by the Maiduguri Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for offences that border on criminal misappropriation and forgery to the tune of over N16 million (Sixteen Million Naira) only.

Isah's road to jail began on January 18, 2018 when a complainant brought allegations of criminal misappropriation, parade of counterfeit documents, including secondary school result and possession of forged stamp belonging to some banks against him to the Commission.

Investigations by the EFCC revealed that the complainant invested the sum of N25million in MBC Synergy Limited, where Isah worked as manager for the purpose of doing telecommunications business, which the convict dishonestly misappropriated the sum of N16,463, 052 (Sixteen million, Four Hundred and Sixty Three Thousand Fifty Two Naira), out of the sum.

One of the charges reads: “That you, Mohammed Baba Isah being the manager of MBC Synergy Limited Damaturu, Yobe State, sometime in the year, 2017 at Damaturu, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court and in such capacity dishonestly converted to your personal use the sum of N16, 463, 052, 00 (Sixteen Million, Four Hundred and Sixty Three Thousand Fifty Two Naira) only, being the proceeds from the N25,000,000.00 (Twenty Five Million Naira) only, invested in the account of MBC Synergy Limited for the purpose of telecommunication business and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under sections 308 and 309 of the Penal Code, Law of Yobe State of Nigeria respectively.”

He pleaded guilty to all the charges and was thus found guilty and convicted by the judge.

In his judgement, Justice Jauro said: “I hereby sentence you Mohammed Baba Isah on count one to one year in prison for criminal misappropriation with an option of fine in the sum of N100, 000.

"On count two you are hereby sentenced to two years in prison for forgery and shall pay the sum of N200, 000 as option.

“On count three, you are hereby sentenced to three years in prison with an option of fine in the sum of N300, 000”. All sentences are to run concurrently.