Kano businessman arraigned for N600,000 onion fraud

The police in Kano State yesterday arraigned a 32-year-old businessman, Bashir Tijjani, before a Kano Sharia Court for an alleged breach of trust.Tijjani, who lives in Kurna Quarters, Fagge Local Council of the state, is charged with criminal breach of trust, cheating and mischief.

The Prosecutor, Inspector Abdullahi Wada, told the court that the complainant, Rufai Zakari, reported the matter at Fagge Police Station on September 10.
Wada said that Zakari gave the defendant 10 bags of onions valued at N600,000 to sell and remit the proceeds to him.

According to him, the defendant sold the onions and dishonestly converted the money for personal use.The prosecutor said the defendant could not give a reasonable account of the business when confronted by the complainant. “He told the complainant that he sold only three out of the 10 bags of onions. All efforts to get the money proved abortive,” he said.

Wada said the offences contravened Sections 202 and 206 of the Penal Code.

After the charge was read to him, the defendant pleaded guilty. The Judge, Malam Umar Lawal-Abubakar, granted the defendant bail of N50,000 with one reliable surety, who must be a blood relation. He adjourned the case until September 30 for a summary trial.