Justice Darius Khobo of State High Court sitting in Kaduna on Friday January 22, 2021, convicted and sentenced one Kamilu Tukur Ruma to 10 years imprisonment for obtaining N742,000 from one Zainab Garba as investment in a phony farming business.
After paying the said sum, Garba discovered that the farm land situated at Rigachukun, Kaduna, which the convict showed her, belonged to someone else.
The charge reads, “hat you Kamilu Tukur Ruma sometime in April, 2018, in Kaduna, within the Kaduna Judicial Division of the High Court, being entrusted with the sum of N742,000,00 (seven hundred and forty two thousand Naira), by Zainab Garba for the purpose that the money will be invested in farming business located at Rigachukun, Kaduna dishonestly converted the said money to your own use in violation of legal contract which you made in regard to the sum and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 306 of the Penal Code Law of Kaduna State, 2017 and punishable under Section 307 of the same Law”.
The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge.
In view of his plea, the prosecuting counsel, E. K. Garba urged the court to convict the accused accordingly.
However, the defence counsel, M. B. Tanko pleaded with court to temper justice with mercy as the defendant is a first time offender, who had shown remorse.
After listening to the submissions by counsel, Justice Khobo convicted and sentenced the defendant to 10 years in imprisonment with an option of N100,000.
He was also ordered to pay the nominal complainant the balance of her money within six months from the date of conviction or one year imprisonment.
