Whistle Blowers imprisoned over false information

Juliana Francis

Three men have been convicted for giving false information to operatives of the Abuja Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC).

The three men, Lawal Umar, 45, a property agent, Alexander Danjuma, 43, a mechanic and Theophilus Omambala, 47, an engineer were convicted yesterday by Justice O.A. Musa of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Bwari, Abuja.

Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, said that the defendants gave false whistle blowing information to operatives of the EFCC, that monies were stashed in the residence of Audu Innocent Ogbe, located at Lugbe, a suburb of Abuja.

They had pleaded ‘not guilty’ upon arraignment. But at yesterday hearing, the defendants changed their pleas to ‘guilty,’ having entered a plea agreement with the prosecution. The prosecution counsel, Aliyu Bokani Usman urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants.

However, defense counsel A.I. Na-Jirgi prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that the convicts were first time offenders and had become remorseful. Justice Musa sentenced them to three months imprisonment with the option of N50, 000 fine each.

In another development, Justice M.T.M Aliyu of the Kaduna State High Court convicted Hauwa Nasiru Garba for offences bordering on impersonation.

The 33 years old convict had been posing as a military officer to defraud unsuspecting individuals with promises of helping them enlist in the armed forces.

Uwujaren said: “Luck ran out on Hauwa when the Commission received a petition from Muhammed Idris alleging that the convict induced him to pay the sum of N67, 000.00 into her account with the promise that she would help secure employment for him with the Nigerian Army or Air Force, a promise she failed to keep. And all efforts by the complainant to recover his money were futile.”

The charge on which the defendant was convicted reads, “That you, Hauwa Nasiru Garba “female” sometime in 2019 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did commit an offence, to wit: cheating by impersonation, when you pretended to be a Military Officer and dishonesty induced Muhammed Idris to deliver to you the sum of N67,000.00, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Penal Code Law of Kaduna State, 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law.”

She pleaded guilty to the charge following a plea bargain with the prosecution and was convicted. Justice Aliyu sentenced her to N150, 000.00 fines.  The Court also ordered her to restitute the sum N67, 000.00 to the victim.