Justice Muhammad Sa’idu Sifawa of the Sokoto State High Court, sitting in Sokoto, on Thursday, 27 August, 2020 convicted and sentenced one Bolanle Adefemiwa to ten (10) years imprisonment, with an option of fine of N200,000.
Adefemiwa was arraigned on one-count charge of cheating contrary to Section 310 of the Sokoto State Penal Code Law and punishable under Section 311 of the same law.
The charge read: “that you Bolanle Adefemiwa and Segun Tinoulu (now at large) sometime in March, 2020 at Sokoto within the jurisdiction of the Sokoto State High Court, did fraudulently cheat one Dahiru Ibrahim by dishonestly deceiving him to collect a total sum of N230,000.00 (Two Hundred and Thirty Thousand Naira) without his consent and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 310 of the Sokoto State Penal Code Law 2019 and punishable under Section 311 of the same law”.
Upon arraignment, Adefemiwa pleaded guilty to the charge.
In view of defendant’s plea, prosecution counsel, S.H. Sa’ad prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant in line with Section 311 of the Penal Code Law. However, defence counsel, Shamsu A. Dauda, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, as his client was a first time offender who has become remorseful. He also told the court that the defendant has restituted the victim the sum of N230, 000.00 he fraudulently collected from him.
Justice Sifawa, thereafter convicted and sentenced Adefemiwa to ten (10) years imprisonment with an option of Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200,000.00) fine.
The convict’s journey to prison started sometime in March 2020, when he fraudulently cheated the petitioner by dishonestly deceiving him to collect a total sum of N230,000.00 (Two Hundred and Thirty Thousand Naira) from him.
