Daud Olatunji
Maiduguri, Nigeria – In a landmark case, the Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has successfully secured the conviction and sentencing of two individuals, Goni Muhammad and Seidu Seriki Hamani, to seven years imprisonment for their involvement in a fraudulent scheme involving counterfeit gold purportedly belonging to former First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan.
The defendants, Goni Muhammad and Seidu Seriki Hamani, were arraigned on May 16, 2022, before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri.
They faced two-count charges related to conspiracy and obtaining under false pretense, with an alleged sum of N 26,492,000 at stake.
The case revolved around the accusation that the two individuals had, in January 2020, deceived victims in Maiduguri by selling 2 grams of gold for a staggering N26,492,000.
The gold was purportedly associated with the wife of former President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, a claim that was later proven to be false.
During the trial, the defendants pleaded ‘not guilty.’ The EFCC’s counsel, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed, presented a compelling case, which included the testimony of three witnesses and the submission of several documents as exhibits.
The defense counsel, H. Waziri, appealed to the court for leniency, citing the defendants’ inability to secure bail since their arraignment.
Justice Kumaliya delivered her judgment, finding both Goni Muhammad and Seidu Seriki Hamani guilty.
She sentenced each of them to seven years imprisonment for the offenses of conspiracy and obtaining under false pretense, with the sentences running concurrently from the day they were initially arraigned.
In a further ruling, the Judge ordered Goni Muhammad to pay the remaining N16,492,000 to his victim or face an additional seven years of imprisonment.
This case underscores the importance of addressing fraudulent activities and upholding the integrity of the judicial system in Nigeria.
The EFCC’s successful prosecution of the perpetrators serves as a warning to those who engage in fraudulent schemes, and a reminder that justice will be served.
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