A Jalingo chief magistrates’ court on Friday
sentenced Dominic Bukuni, one of the aides of
Darius Ishaku, governor of Taraba state, to two
years imprisonment for criminal conspiracy,
cheating and forgery.
Bebeto Haruna, 32, who was arraigned along
with Bukuni, also bagged nine years jail
sentence.
In his judgment, which lasted three hours, Yusuf
Babasoro, chief magistrate, said the prosecution
had proven its case beyond any reasonable doubt
that the two accused were guilty of the offences
as charged.
Babasoro said Haruna was guilty on the 1st and
2nd counts for impersonation and cheating,
which were contrary to sections 132 and 322 of
the penal code.
He said the offences attracted a fine of N5,000
and N10, 000 or jail terms of six months and one
year respectively.
The magistrate also convicted Haruna on a
three-count charge of fraud to the tune of
N3.5million and sentenced him to seven years’
imprisonment without an option of fine.
According to Babasoro, Haruna defrauded 28
unsuspecting victims of the amount on the
pretext that he would assist them to secure
employment at the Taraba State University,
Jalingo.
He sentenced them to two years’ imprisonment
with an option of a fine of N20,000.
Babasoro said the offences contravened section
597 of the penal code.
Mohammed Ibrahim, the prosecutor, had earlier
told the court that Haruna and Bukuni committed
the offences sometime between June and
December 2013.
Ibrahim said the two men conspired and
impersonated Emmanuel Bwacha, a former
senator, and Sani Yahaya, vice-chancellor of the
Taraba State University.
The prosecutor told the court that Haruna and
Bukuni, using a telephone number- 08108989687,
defrauded one Philomena Umaru and 14 others:
all of Jalingo, of N2, 245,000 under the pretext
of offering them employment with the state
university.
He said the two of them also defrauded one Bala
Yakubu and 12 others of N1, 420, 000 on the
pretext of presenting their names to the vice-
chancellor as candidates of Bwacha, seeking to
be offered employment.
Ibrahim alleged that in December 2012, the men
used GSM number 08108989887 to impersonate
Bwacha and defraud one Ishaku Adamu, the
suspended chairman of Ibi local government
council of the state.
The prosecutor said they also collected
N500,000 and a cattle worth N95,000 from the
council chairman to plead with members of the
state house of assembly so that they can revoke
his suspension.
Ibrahim had urged the court to give the
convicted persons “the highest punishment”,
saying the offences contravened the provisions
of sections 97, 179, 322 and 364 of the penal
code.
sentenced Dominic Bukuni, one of the aides of
Darius Ishaku, governor of Taraba state, to two
years imprisonment for criminal conspiracy,
cheating and forgery.
Bebeto Haruna, 32, who was arraigned along
with Bukuni, also bagged nine years jail
sentence.
In his judgment, which lasted three hours, Yusuf
Babasoro, chief magistrate, said the prosecution
had proven its case beyond any reasonable doubt
that the two accused were guilty of the offences
as charged.
Babasoro said Haruna was guilty on the 1st and
2nd counts for impersonation and cheating,
which were contrary to sections 132 and 322 of
the penal code.
He said the offences attracted a fine of N5,000
and N10, 000 or jail terms of six months and one
year respectively.
The magistrate also convicted Haruna on a
three-count charge of fraud to the tune of
N3.5million and sentenced him to seven years’
imprisonment without an option of fine.
According to Babasoro, Haruna defrauded 28
unsuspecting victims of the amount on the
pretext that he would assist them to secure
employment at the Taraba State University,
Jalingo.
He sentenced them to two years’ imprisonment
with an option of a fine of N20,000.
Babasoro said the offences contravened section
597 of the penal code.
Mohammed Ibrahim, the prosecutor, had earlier
told the court that Haruna and Bukuni committed
the offences sometime between June and
December 2013.
Ibrahim said the two men conspired and
impersonated Emmanuel Bwacha, a former
senator, and Sani Yahaya, vice-chancellor of the
Taraba State University.
The prosecutor told the court that Haruna and
Bukuni, using a telephone number- 08108989687,
defrauded one Philomena Umaru and 14 others:
all of Jalingo, of N2, 245,000 under the pretext
of offering them employment with the state
university.
He said the two of them also defrauded one Bala
Yakubu and 12 others of N1, 420, 000 on the
pretext of presenting their names to the vice-
chancellor as candidates of Bwacha, seeking to
be offered employment.
Ibrahim alleged that in December 2012, the men
used GSM number 08108989887 to impersonate
Bwacha and defraud one Ishaku Adamu, the
suspended chairman of Ibi local government
council of the state.
The prosecutor said they also collected
N500,000 and a cattle worth N95,000 from the
council chairman to plead with members of the
state house of assembly so that they can revoke
his suspension.
Ibrahim had urged the court to give the
convicted persons “the highest punishment”,
saying the offences contravened the provisions
of sections 97, 179, 322 and 364 of the penal
code.
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