Crime
Witnesses narrate how UniJos NASU members lost N178m to union executives in land fraud
Witnesses in the trial of Kassam Kopte and Yakubu Zwalnan, former Chairman and Secretary, University of Jos’ Non Academic Staff Union of Education and Associated Institution, on Wednesday, March 6, 2024 narrated before Justice S.P Gang of the Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos, how the duo allegedly lured union members into fraudulent land deals and defrauded them of their life savings in the process.
Kopte and Zwalnan are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on three-count charges bordering on criminal breach of trust and conspiracy to defraud union members to the tune of N178,583,560.36 (One Hundred and Seventy-eight Million, Five Hundred and Eighty-three Thousand, Five Hundred Sixty Naira, Thirty-six Kobo). The alleged offence contravenes Section 97 of the Penal Code Laws of Plateau State, and punishable under the same Law.
At Wednesday’s court session, Second Prosecution Witness , PW2, Dabup Luka Jacob, a lecturer in the University of Jos, who was led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Steve Odiase, told the court that he lost N448,200 (Four Hundred and Forty-Eight Thousand, Two Hundred Naira) to the two defendants, being the total cost of two plots of land he chose to buy.
“My Lord, in 2012, they advertised plots of land to the university community, I subscribed for four plots of land. Two were shown to me, while the remaining two I have no idea about. And the two I was shown have no title documents for me to claim them as mine. No evidence to call them mine. I paid for the two plots through direct lodgments into the NASU plots of land account they gave us, while the remaining two are to be deducted from my salary. I have a photocopy of the evidence of payments because the originals are with the union.”
In his own testimony, Third Prosecution Witness, PW3, James Wazhi Jangfa, narrated that he lost a total of N896,400 (Eight Hundred and Ninety-Six Thousand, Four Hundred Naira) to the two defendants, being the total cost of five plots of land back them up,” he said.
Earlier on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, the first Prosecution Witness, PW1,Bitrus Ayuba, had told the court that he lost N448,000.00 (Four Hundred and Forty-eight Thousand Naira) to the two defendants in the fraudulent land purchase.
“As at that time my Lord, in one of our meetings, they advertised plots of land to us, stating that all interested persons should indicate his or her interest and that he or she would get it. We asked them the price of a plot of land and they told us it was N170,000 (One Hundred and Seventy Thousand Naira).
“I then showed interest and paid the sum of N340,000 (Three Hundred and Forty Thousand Naira) for two plots of land. After a while, they told us again to pay the sum of N54,000 (Fifty-four Thousand Naira) for land title documents and I paid for the two plots I paid for earlier,” he stated.
All the evidence of payments made by the witnesses were admitted exhibits in court by Justice Gang after scaling stiff objections from D.G Dashe and I.P Gyang, counsels to the first and second defendants, respectively.
Police officers from the Federal Capital Territory have killed a bandit and arrested three during a clearance operation.
The police during the operation stormed an identified hideout of kidnappers in Chikara, a community that shares a border with Kogi State.
This, however, led to a gun duel with the suspects.
The police in a statement on Saturday by the FCT command spokesperson, Josephine Adeh identified the arrested suspects as Mahammadu Isa, Likita Idris, and Isiyaku Muhammedu.
The statement read, “In the continuous effort against criminality in FCT, operatives from Utako Divisional headquarters stormed an identified kidnappers hideouts in Chikara, Kogi state bordering FCT, and Zuba, Abuja, in a streak of clearance operation between June 8 and 13, 2024, and arrested three suspects: Mahammadu Isa, 27 ‘m’ of Dantata Abuja, Likita Idris, 27 ‘m’ of Kogi state, and Isiyaku Muhammedu, 22 ‘m’ of Kogi State.
By Adeyanju Esther
The Federal High Court in Kaduna sentenced 27-year-old Williams David to two years in prison for possessing illicit drugs. The judgement was delivered on Thursday by Justice Hadiza Shagari.
David, apprehended by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), faced charges of possessing illegal substances. He admitted guilt, requested leniency, and expressed a desire to reform.
Justice Shagari, considering David’s age and his involvement in serious crimes, imposed a two-year prison sentence without an option for a fine.
“This sentence is intended to deter others,” Shagari stated.
Furthermore, the judge ordered that the seized drugs be destroyed by the NDLEA 30 days post-judgment.
Prosecution Counsel T. J. Atserhegh provided details of the arrest, which took place at 8:00 p.m.
On June 2 in Kinkinau, Kaduna. Authorities found 4kg of marijuana, 49.3g of tramadol, and 8g of Exol-5 in David’s possession. Atserhegh noted that the offence breached the NDLEA Act, Cap 30, Laws of the Federation, 2004.
By Adeyanju Esther
On Thursday, the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Gwagwalada sentenced 21-year-old student Adakole Peter to one year imprisonment for swindling a Chinese woman out of $50.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Peter on two counts of cheating by impersonation and pretending to be a military personnel.
Delivering the judgement, Justice Aliyu Shafa offered Peter an option of a N150,000 fine.
Shafa also ordered the convict to depose an affidavit of good behaviour and directed that the Redmi cellphone used in the crime be sold, with the proceeds deposited into the Federal Government’s account through the EFCC.
Additionally, the $50 recovered from Peter is to be paid into the Federal Government’s account.
The Prosecution Counsel, I.D. Iloakasia, informed the court that Peter and his counsel had signed a plea bargain on June 10. Iloakasia stated that between April and May, Peter, under the alias Steve M. Marks, deceived Ruth Novick, a Chinese citizen, into giving him $50 worth of gift cards.
Peter then sold these gift cards online for N20,000. Iloakasia noted that the offence contravened Section 321 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federation Abuja, 1990, and is punishable under Section 324 of the same Act.
Peter pleaded guilty to the charges and begged for leniency, promising the court he had realised his mistake and would not repeat such actions.
“I have repented and realised my mistakes. I plead with the court to temper justice with mercy,” he said.
Defense Counsel Bridget Abang supported Peter’s plea for mercy, urging the court to consider his age and the fact that he was a first-time offender.
The prosecutor had also prayed the court that the money and instrument recovered from the convict be forfeited to the Federal Government through the EFCC.
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