Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri today November 24, 2021 sent one David Osigbe Irumekhei to six months prisonment for his involvement in a contract scam.
The court further ordered the convict to pay the sum of N5, 400, 000.00K (Five Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira) in restitution to the victim, Annur Adam, and ‘‘in default of payment the convict shall serve five years jail term.’’
The convict was arraigned by the Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on two separate amended one count charges for cheating to the tune of N22.9million on one count and N5million on another count.
EFCC told the Court that it received petitions from two complainants: Annur Adam and Mohammed Kolare, accusing David of obtaining the sum of N22.9million and N5 million sums from Annur Adam and Mohammed Kolare, respectively under the pretext of executing contracts purportedly awarded to him by a Non- Governmental Organization called Terre Des Hommes.
The first amended charge reads: “That you, David Osigbe Irumekhei, sometime between October and December, 2020 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court fraudulently induced Annur Adam by deceiving him to deliver the total sum of Twenty Two Million Nine Hundred Thousand Naira (N22,900,000.00), being money allegedly to finance a contract with Terres Des Hummes Medicin Du Monde and Danish Refugee Council, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 320 of Penal Law Cap 102 Laws of Borno State 1994 and punishable under Section 322 of the same Law.”
The other charge reads: “That you, David Osigbe Irumekhei, sometime between October and December, 2020 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court fraudulently induced Mohammed Kolare by deceiving him to deliver the total sum of Five Million (N5,000,000.00) being money allegedly to finance a contract with Terres Des Hummes Medicin Du Monde and Danish Refugee Council, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 320 of Penal Law Cap 102 Laws of Borno State 1994 and punishable under Section 322 of the same Law.”
When the charges was read the defendant pleaded “guilty” to each amended charge preferred against him.
Consequently, Justice Kumaliya convicted and sentenced the defendant to six months imprisonment on the amended charge of N5million with an option of N300, 000.00K (Three Hundred Thousand Naira) fine.
On the other charge involving N22.9million, the convict was sentenced to a fine of N200, 000.00K (Two Hundred Thousand Naira). The court further ordered that the convict pay the sum of N5, 400, 000.00K (Five Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira) in restitution to the victim, Annur Adam, and ‘‘in default of payment the convict shall serve five years jail term.’’