Bulama Abdulrahman, a Kano resident, was found guilty of posing as an auctioneer authorized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to sell properties forfeited to the Federal Government on the Commission’s behalf and was given a seven-year prison sentence without the possibility of a fine.
His conviction came after a trial before Justice Nasiru Saminu of the Kano State High Court on two counts of fraudulent purpose and acquiring ₦35,000,000 (thirty-five million naira) by false pretenses.
The court issued its sentence of imprisonment even though the defendant entered a not guilty plea to both accusations when they were brought to his attention.
According to one of the charges, “You, Abdulrahman Bulama, within the jurisdiction of the Kano State High Court, on or about June 2023 in Kano, with the intent to defraud, obtained ₦20,000,000 (Twenty Million Naira) from Safiyanu Abdullahi of Tauraro and Property Limited by falsely claiming to be an auctioneer with the consent and authority of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to auction a fenced, unfinished building at Rijiyar Zaki, Kano.” You violated Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offenses Act, 2006, as you were aware that this claim was untrue.
The prosecution, led by attorney Musa Isah, proceeded to a full trial after the defendant entered a plea. Three witnesses testified against the defendant, who then called himself as the only witness in his defense.
Influenced by Isah’s strong evidence, Justice Saminu found the defendant guilty of the second accusation after the trial was over, but cleared him of the first.
Isah requested the court to give the offender a reasonable sentence in light of this decision.
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Given that the defendant was a doctoral student at Nasarawa State University, the defense lawyer urged the court to be lenient.
As a result, Justice Saminu gave the defendant a seven-year prison term without the possibility of a fine.
Additionally, the judge ruled that the defendant pay ₦35,000,000 (Thirty-Five Million Naira only) in reparation to the victim.
