Court Jails Civil Servant 5 Years over N5m Fraud

A Kano State High Court has sentenced Mohammed Ibrahim Hassan, a staff of the Kano State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KNUPDA) to 5 years jail term for defrauding the State Government of N513, 445.

Mr. Mohammed Hassan was charged by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on a 4-count charge of allegedly forging a treasury receipt of the Kano State Government, with the intent to support a claim of refunding the said amount to the State Government.

The Prosecution told the court that the offence violated Section 25 (1)(a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, punishable under Section 25 (1)(b) of the same Act, as well as Section 363 of the Penal Code, Cap 105 Laws of Kano State, punishable under Section 364 of the same law.

The charge revealed that Mr. Hassan committed the offence between June 2017 and March 2018, when he dishonestly made fake treasury receipts of Kano State Government to support his claim of returning N299, 509, and N213, 935 in separate tranches, to the State Government, when he actually did not refund any money.

He pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him, but changed his plea and entered into a plea bargain which was granted on the condition that he agreed to refund the N513, 445.

The presiding judge, Justice Lawal Wada sentenced the defendant to five years imprisonment or a fine of N100, 000. He also ruled that the convict should refund N513, 445 to the Kano State Government.