The Gombe Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday February 4, 2021 secured the conviction of the duo of Mustapha Baba Tela and Abdullahi Muhammad on a five count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy, misappropriation and impersonation, before Justice J.A. Awak of Gombe State High Court, Gombe.
The defendants upon arraignment, pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against them.
Count one of the charge reads, “That you, Mustapha Baba Tela, Abdullahi Muhammad and Usman Abubakar (still at large) between May and July, 2020, did agree among yourselves to commit an illegal act to wit; Personation and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 96 at the Penal Code Law and punishable under Section 97 of the same law”.
Based on their plea, the prosecution counsel, S.E. Okemini, urged the court to convict the defendants.
However, the defence counsel, Habu Abdul pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.
Justice Awak in his judgment, convicted and sentenced the defendants to 6 months imprisonment on counts 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively with the option of fine of N10,000 on each count.
The sentences are to run concurrently. The court also ordered the 1st convict to pay the sum of N480,000 as restitution to the nominal complainant through the EFCC
