A Kano State High Court sitting in Kano has sentenced Ebonine Rita Uzoamaka to seven years’ imprisonment for obtaining ₦5.6 million by false pretence.
The conviction was delivered by Justice Maryam Sabo on Tuesday following charges brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Uzoamaka was arraigned on August 18, 2021, on a five-count charge of dishonest misappropriation of funds totaling ₦5.66 million.
One of the charges stated that on January 18, 2021, the defendant fraudulently obtained ₦2 million from one Ochayi Anthony Eneche under the false claim that she had 500 cartons of D-Rich Baking Powder to sell—an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
Uzoamaka pleaded not guilty, leading to a full trial. During proceedings, prosecution counsel Salihu Sani called four witnesses and tendered several exhibits, all admitted by the court. The defendant testified in her own defence.
In her judgment, Justice Sabo convicted Uzoamaka on all five counts and sentenced her to seven years’ imprisonment, with an option of a ₦500,000 fine.
The EFCC said the convict was arrested for fraudulently obtaining ₦5.6 million from her victim on the pretext of supplying D-Rice Baking Powder from Aba, Abia State. After receiving the funds, she failed to deliver the goods and instead converted the money to personal use.