By Imisioluwa Afunmiso
A Borno State High Court in Maiduguri has convicted and sentenced Akeem Oriade Adeyinka to various jail terms for fraud involving N13 million.
The trial judge, Justice Mohammed Maina, handed down the sentence on Wednesday, April 15 after finding the defendant guilty of obtaining money under false pretence and criminal misappropriation.
He was arraigned by the Maiduguri zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on September 23, 2025, on a two count charge bordering on fraud to the tune of N3 million and N10 million respectively.
According to the charges, the convict fraudulently obtained N3 million from Oseni Ibrahim Alani under the disguise of financing a contract, a claim the court found to be false.
In a separate count, he was also found guilty of defrauding another victim, Haruna Malim, of N10 million under the pretence of investing in the purchase and supply of Automated Teller Machine parts for a purported contract in Cameroon which the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges, prompting prosecution counsel, S.O. Saka and A.D. Abdulmalik, to call witnesses and tender documentary evidence to prove the case.
Delivering judgment, Justice Maina sentenced Adeyinka to 3 years imprisonment on count one, with an option of N300,000 fine. He was also ordered to refund N3 million to the victim or serve an additional seven years imprisonment.
On count two, the court sentenced him to 3 years imprisonment with an option of N100,000 fine, and further ordered him to pay N10 million restitution or serve an additional 10 years imprisonment with each sentence running consecutively.
In a related development, the EFCC has arraigned Alhaji Abdullahi Hamman before the same court over an alleged N2.6 million fraud.
Hamman was brought before Justice Maina on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence.
The anti-graft agency alleged that the defendant fraudulently obtained N2.6 million from a victim under false claims.
The case has been adjourned for further proceedings.