The Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it has secured the conviction and sentencing of one Danladi Mohammed before Justice Umaru Fadawu of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri to one-year imprisonment.

EFCC Spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, in a statement, yesterday, in Abuja, said Mohammed was convicted following his conviction on a one-count charge of criminal misappropriation of N7.6m proceeds of 8000 pieces of camping lanterns, which he claimed were to be supplied to a United Nations (UN) agency.

The charge read: “That you, Danladi Mohammed, on or about July 2018, at Gidan Madara, Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this court dishonestly misappropriated and converted for your own use 8000 pieces of camping lanterns valued at the cost of N7,600,000.00 belonging to Ibrahim Audu, under the guise that the said lanterns were to be supplied to UN High Commission and thereby, committed an offence contrary to and punishable under sections 308 and 309 of the Penal Code Laws of Borno State (Cap. 102 Vol. 3 of 1994), respectively.”

The defendant pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned on April 25, 2023 and the matter went into trial.

In the course of trial, the Prosecuting Counsel, S.O. Saka presented three witnesses and tendered several documents, which were admitted in evidence as exhibits.

Justice Fadawu, in his judgment, convicted the defendant as charged and sentenced him to one-year imprisonment with an option of N200,000.00.

The judge also ordered the convict to pay N7.6m to the nominal complainant. Should he fail to do so, he will serve a five-year prison term,  “starting after the expiration of any prison term imposed by this court or any other court”.

In another development, one Abdullahi Abdussalam was, on Thursday, July 13, 2023, arraigned by the commission before Justice  Fadawu on one-count charge of cheating to the tune of N55,676,700.00) by false pretence.

The charge read: “That you, Abdullahi Abdussalam, while being a transporter with Viva Metal and Plastics Industries Limited and Alter Ego of Decent Bags Nigeria Limited, sometime  between August 2016 and March 2017 at Maiduguri, within the Jurisdiction of this court, dishonestly induced Alhaji Sale Mamuda and Alhaji Mamuda Yusuf to deliver to you N55,676,700.00 only, through the following accounts for the purchase and supply of polythene bags which you are yet to deliver and thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 320(a) and punishable under section 322 of the Penal Code Cap 102 Laws of Borno State.”

The court entered the ‘not guilty’ plea on behalf of the defendant due to his refusal to take his plea.

Counsel for the prosecution, S.O Saka, asked the court to remand the defendant and fix a date for trial to commence.

Justice Fadawu adjourned the matter till July 24 and 25, 2023 for commencement of trial and remanded the defendant in prison custody.