The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Sokoto Zonal Office, on Tuesday, March 31, 2020 secured the conviction of one Freedom Inah, before Justice M.S. Sifawa, Chief Judge of the Sokoto State High Court sitting in Sokoto, on a one-count charge bordering on Cheating to the tune of N1,830,250 (One Million Eight Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Two Hundred and Fifty Naira).
The count one reads: “That you, Freedom Sampson Inah, while acting as travel agent of Gulf Centre International Travel and Tourism, United Arab Emirate (UAE) and Top Valley Speciality Hospital UAE and Nwabueze Uzochukwu Joseph, Peter Ike (now at large), sometime in 2019 at Sokoto within the judicial division of the High Court of Justice of Sokoto State, dishonestly induced one Ahmed Jelani to pay the total sum of N1,435,250.00 (One Million Four Hundred and Thirty-five Thousand, Two Hundred Naira) into three different accounts including the sum of N395,000 (Three Hundred and Ninety-five Thousand Naira) into your Access Bank account number by deceiving him with an offer of appointment with Top Valley Speciality Hospital, United Arab Emirate and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 310 of the Sokoto State Penal Code Law 2019 and punishable under Section 311 of the same Law.”
Upon arraignment, Sampson pleaded “guilty” to the charge.
In view of his plea, counsel for the EFCC, S.H. Sa’ad asked the court to convict and sentence him in line with the Penal Code Law of Sokoto State.
The defence counsel, Shamsu Dauda, however, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy as his client was a first-time offender who had become remorseful. He also told the court that the convict had fully restituted the victim.
Justice Sifawa, thereafter convicted and sentenced the defendant to 10 years imprisonment with an option of fine of Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200,000.00).