Justice Fatu Riman of the Federal High Court Kano has on Thursday sentenced one Stephen Onyekachi to 14 years imprisonment.
The convict was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 6th June 2013 on a three-count charge of obtaining the sum of N220, 000 from one Auwal Shehu Garba under the pretext that he had a solar indicator for sale.
According to the Garba, he was approached by Onyekachi through a phone call and offered a business deal after which he made a payment of N200, 000 and also sent him MTN recharge cards worth N20,000.
Riman sentenced the accused to seven years imprisonment on counts one and three of the charges against him while count two of the charges was dismissed for lack of documentary evidence.
The convict was also ordered to pay the sum of N220, 000 in restitution to the victim.
“You Stephen Onyekachi (Alias Steven Onyero) and others (now at large) on or about 20th January, 2012 at Kano, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud obtained from one Auwal Shehu Garba, the sum of N200,000 via Stephen Onyekachi’s account domiciled at United Bank For Africa account number 2047444748, thereby committed an offence contrary to section 8(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act,” one of the counts read.
