Justice Maryam Sabo of the Kano State High Court has convicted and sentenced Ebonine Rita Uzoamaka to seven years’ imprisonment for obtaining over N5.6 million by false pretence. The judgment followed her trial on a five-count charge bordering on dishonest misappropriation of funds.
Okay News reports that the defendant was arraigned on August 18, 2021, over allegations that she fraudulently obtained a total of N5,660,000 from her victim. One of the charges stated that on January 18, 2021, she obtained N2 million from Ochayi Anthony Eneche after falsely claiming she had 500 cartons of D-Rich Baking Powder available for sale. The money was paid into her Access Bank account under the pretence of supplying the goods, an act said to contravene Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.
Although she initially pleaded not guilty, the prosecution, led by Salihu Sani, called four witnesses and tendered documentary evidence to support the case. Uzoamaka testified in her own defence as the sole witness.
In her ruling, Justice Sabo found her guilty on all five counts and imposed a seven-year prison sentence, with an option of a N500,000 fine. The court held that she collected the funds under the guise of supplying D-Rich Baking Powder from Aba, Abia State, but failed to deliver the goods and instead converted the money to personal use.
