A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced Umar Hussaini, a lawyer to a former Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, late Abdullahi Dikko, to seven years imprisonment over N1.1 billion fraud.
The conviction was secured by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission in a Charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/74/2020.
This development was disclosed on Thursday night by the spokesperson of the ICPC, Mrs Azuka Ogugua, who said the convict was brought before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu over allegations that he induced the Managing Director of Cambial Limited, Mr Yemi Obadeyi, to pay N1.1bn into the account of Capital Law Office on March 6, 2010, as refundable “completion security deposit” for the procurement of 120 units of houses as residential accommodation for officers of the NCS.
She told newsmen, via the statement, that the convict had earlier tried multiple times to stall the trial, including using tactics like filing a “No Case Submission” before the court, arguing that the said sum paid into the account of Capital Law Office was induced by the deceased former Comptroller-General and a former Deputy Comptroller General, Garba Makarfi who instructed Mr Obadeyi to pay the money, and that set the tune for a long legal tussle.
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Ogugua, who said the prosecution team was able to link the defendant to the offences, added that, “The court was also informed of how the convict pretended to be an external solicitor to the NCS when he knew that he was not – a false pretence – which induced the complainants to deposit the funds into the account of his private law firm because the complainant believed that he was acting on behalf of the NCS.
“Justice Ojukwu thereafter found Hussaini guilty on two counts of obtaining by false pretense, contrary to and punishable under the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.”
Ogugua noted that the trial Judge then sentenced him to seven years prison term on each count with an option of fine of N100million. The sentences are to run concurrently.
He was also ordered to pay the sum of N100million as compensation to the complainant, Yemi Obadeyi, and the company, Cambial Limited.
The Judge further ruled that the convict be remanded in prison custody pending the fulfillment of the terms of fine.