Justice Peter Kekemeke of an FCT High Court on Tuesday, sentenced a fraudulent investigator, Mohammed Momoh, to seven years imprisonment over attempts to defraud the wife of Nasarawa State’s former governor, Mrs. Mario Al-Makura.
The conviction followed charges brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which accused Momoh of false pretenses.
Despite pleas for leniency on account of being a first-time offender and a father of three, Momoh’s counsel, Godwin Omagbogu, failed to sway the court’s decision.
The prosecution counsel, Diana Nkwap, however, urged the court to use its discretion in sentencing the convict.
Justice Kekemeke, taking into consideration the severity of the charge, highlighted the sentencing range of a maximum of 20 years imprisonment and a minimum of seven years.
Consequently, Momoh received a seven-year prison term after the court found the prosecution’s case “beyond reasonable doubt.”
Recall that the conviction was officially established on February 27, 2024.
Momoh’s criminal activities came to light in December 2017 when he attempted to defraud Mairo Al-Makura by posing as a private investigator from the “Villa.”
He claimed to have insider information about an alleged investigation into two accounts belonging to her husband, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, the former governor of Nasarawa.
In 2011, Momoh solicited N8 million from Mrs. Al-Makura, ultimately settling for N6 million. Suspecting fraudulent intentions, the governor’s family alerted the EFCC, leading to Momoh’s arrest during a sting operation after he collected a marked N2 million from Mrs. Al-Makura.
The charges against Momoh fall under Section 1(1)(a) and are punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006.