Man bags 30 months imprisonment for N5.5m fraud

A Kaduna Chief Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday sentenced a 45-year-old man, Kingsley James, to 30 months imprisonment for N5.5 million fraud.

The convict was tried on a two-count charge of theft and obtaining money by false pretences after he pleaded guilty.

Magistrate Ibrahim Emmanuel sentenced James to 15 months imprisonment on each of the two-count charge with an option of N100,000 fine.

He ruled that the sentences should run concurrently.

Emmanuel also ordered the convict to restitute the sum of N5.5 million to the complainant, Mr David Zamani.

He also ordered that in the event that the convict fails to restitute the complainant, he shall serve additional two years prison term.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp. Chidi Leo, told the court that the defendant committed the offences sometimes in Feb. 15, 2021, about 2:00 pm at Barnawa, Kaduna.

Leo said that the defendant collected the sum of N5.5 million from the complainant, under the pretence of selling an uncompleted bungalow building to him.

The prosecutor said that the defendant did not sell the building to the complainant, but converted the money to his personal use.

He said the offences contravened sections 217 and 287 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017.