An FCT High Cort on Friday sentenced a 46-year-old quantity surveyor, Kehinde Bello, to 28 years in prison, over land fraud.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Nov. 10, 2014, charged the convict and two others with 10 counts of conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence, fraud, using fake document as genuine one, forgery among others.
The EFCC said the offence contravened the provisions of sections 8(a), 1(1a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006 and section 366 and 363 of the Penal Code Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 1990.
Delivering judgment, Justice Charles Agbaza, sentenced the convict to seven years imprisonment for count one of the charge, obtaining money by false pretence, punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006.
He was equally sentenced to another seven years for count two of the charge, conspiracy, and another 7 years for count three, five, seven and nine bordering on forgery and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Act.
Agbaza also sentenced the convict to another seven years for counts four, six, eight and ten, bordering on using fake document as genuine one and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Act.
The Judge who declined to give an option of fine in lieu of the sentenced, however said that, the sentenced should run concurrently based on the plea of the defence counsel, this means that Bello will only served seven years in prison.
According to the Judge, a compensation that will worth the loss of the complainant should also be paid by the convict.
NAN reports that the Chilo Okoroma, EFCC Counsel, who called four witnesses during the trial to prove his case had told the court that Bello collected N24 million from Mrs Enatto-Nana Aisha to buy two plots of land for her at N12 million each.
He said that the convict collected another N4 million for documentation and processing of papers to the land which he said it is located at the Maitama District of the FCT.
The prosecution counsel told the court during trial, the convict used every tactics including the presentation of FCDA identity card claiming to be a staff agency all in the attempt to convince the woman into buying the plots.
Okoroma told the court that at the end of the whole transaction, it was discovered that the plots of land in question were fake, the document given to the complainant were forged and this prompted her to reports the matter to EFCC.
The prosecution counsel prayed the court before the judgment was given to ensure that justice was done on the matter.
The convict’s counsel, Mr Daniel Anyanwu, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy adding that the convict had never be found wanting going by his life record. (NAN)