It was the end of road for a fraudster yesterday as Justice Dije Aboki of the Kano State High Court, Kano convicted and sentenced one Ibrahim Hassan popularly known as Comptroller Kangiwa, to ten years and six months imprisonment without option of fine in a case of conspiracy, impersonation and obtaining by false pretence instituted against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Hassan, who was prosecuted on a four-count charge, allegedly obtained the sum of N11, 074,500.00 (Eleven million, seventy four thousand, five hundred naira) from one Alhaji Balarabe Sumaila, at Kano. The convict presented himself in company of his syndicate to the said Sumaila as Comptroller Husaini Suleiman Kangiwa from Zone C, Owerri Office of the Nigeria Customs Service in 2007. He told him that he had twelve (12) containers of textile materials auctioned by the Customs Service at the Tin Can Port, Apapa, Lagos for sale.
The complainant together with the convict’s accomplices, thereafter travelled to Lagos, where he was shown some containers containing the materials as discussed. Without any iota of suspicion, Alhaji Balarabe paid N11, 074,500 to the convict for processing, clearance and transportation of the goods from Lagos to Kano. However all efforts made by the complainant to get the goods delivered or his money paid back to him yielded no result.
Justice Aboki found Hassan guilty of the charge and consequently convicted and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment for obtaining the money by false pretence, three years imprisonment for personation and another six months for conspiracy. The sentences are to run concurrently.
The judge also granted the restitution application filed by the prosecuting counsel, Nasiru Salele and ordered the convict to pay the sum of N11m to the complainant, Alhaji Balarabe Sumaila.
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