PTA Chairman bags 198 years imprisonment for forgery

Justice

An FCT High Court on Monday sentenced Mohammed Atabo, PTA Chairman, Parents Teachers Association (PTA) to 198 years imprisonment for forgery.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged Atabo, 45, who is the Chairman PTA of Esteem International School, Garki, Abuja with forging the signature of Mariya Sirajo, treasurer of the association.

Delivering judgment, Justice Yusuf Halilu, held that the prosecution led credible evidence which has been proved beyond reasonable doubt.

Halilu sentenced the convict to two years imprisonment for count-one and 14-years each for count-two to 15.

He also held that the court relied on Exhibit T2, which was the confessional statement of the convict to the EFCC where he clearly admitted forging the signature of Sirajo.

The court further considered exhibit C, which was the payment plan voluntarily written by the convict to the proprietor of Esteem International School, Garki.

Meanwhile, the Judge said that the sentence should run concurrently, and that the convict should serve his terms in Suleja Prison in Niger State.

The EFCC said the convict to forged the signature of Sirajo several times in 2014 on a First Bank local fund transfer with form No. 0790487, and was charged before the court in 2016.

He was charged by the EFCC with 15-count charges, bordering on forgery.