Justices Nasiru Saminu and Usman Na’abba of the Kano State High Court have convicted and sentenced the trio of Almustapha Nasir, Isma’il Salisu, and Yakubu Shuaibu Abdullahi  to six years imprisonment for retention of proceeds of crime and fraudulent misappropriation.

They were jailed after pleading guilty to one-count separate charge preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

While Nasir and Salisu were convicted by Justice Saminu on Thursday, Abdullahi was jailed by Justice Na’abba on Wednesday.

The charge against Salisu read:  “That you Isma’il Salisu sometime in 2021 at Kano within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did retain the possession of the sum of N480, 000.00 (Four Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira only) which sum you knew formed part of proceeds of criminal conduct and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 17 (a) & (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004.”

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The charge against Abdullahi read:  “That you, Yakubu Shuaibu Abdullahi on or about February 2020 in Kano, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly misappropriated to your own use the sum of N1,200,000.00 (One Million Two Thousand Hundred Naira) belonging to one Christopher Onuora, being payment for United States dollar equivalent at the rate of N380 per dollar and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Penal Code and punishable to Section 309 of the Penal Code.”

Following their pleas, EFCC counsels, Salihu Sani and Sadiq Husaini, prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly.

However, defence counsels, Gali Nasidi and Nuriyyah Musa, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing the convicts.

Justice Saminu convicted and sentenced Nasir and Salisu to three years imprisonment each.

While Nasir was offered a fine option of N100,000, Salisu was given an option of N150,000 as fine.

Justice Na’abba also convicted and sentenced Abdullahi to three months imprisonment with an option of fine of N10,000.

He also ordered the convict to restitute the sum of N1 million to his victim,  a default of which he will serve an additional term of three years.

The Star