Ismaila Muhammed was today sentenced to 12
years imprisonment by a Federal High Court sitting in Bauchi and presided by
Justice Mohammed Garba Umar.
Ismaila had on March 6, 2014 pleaded
guilty to all 4-count charge bordering on conspiracy, fraud and currency
counterfeiting when he was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission.
One of the charge alleged that the convict
conspired “with one Aminu Bauchi, now at large, to utter 59 pieces of
counterfeit United States of American Dollar bills in $100 denomination
and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 6 (2)
(b) and 5(1) of the Counterfeit Currency (Special Provisions) Act Cap.C35 respectively”.
Based on the guilt plea by the
accused, the court convicted him accordingly but reserved sentencing for today.
Before sentencing the convict, Justice
Umar alluded to the prayers of the defence lawyer, A. I. Kafarati who pleaded
passionately on behalf of the convict for leniency, being a first offender and
family man with large responsibilities.
The judge therefore sentenced
him to 3 years imprisonment on each of the four count charge. The sentences are
to run concurrently with effect from the date of arrest of the convict, which
is January 2014.
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