Kaduna Courts Jail Five for Fraud

Justices M.J. Zubairu and Amina Bello, both of the Kaduna State High Court, sitting in Kaduna, have convicted and sentenced Mukaila Kunle Olarinoye, Solomon Peter Dikum, Joseph Wisdom, Bona Jepnum Boniface and David John to jail for fraud.

They were prosecuted by the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on one-count charges that bordered on criminal breach of trust, cheating and impersonation.

While Olarinoye, Dikum and Wisdom were prosecuted before Justice Zubairu, Boniface and John faced prosecution before Justice Bello.

The charge against Olarinoye reads: “That you, Munkaila Kunle Olarinoye (a.k.a Alh. Abdulazeez Abdulsalam) being the Principal Partner of Kunle Olarinoye & Associates on or about the 3rd day of January, 2024 at Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Kaduna State, being entrusted with certain property, to wit: the sum of N12,000,000.00 (Twelve Million Naira, only), belonging to Ibrahim Inuwa Aliyu, committed criminal breach of trust; and that you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 296 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under Section 294 of the same Law.”

That of Boniface reads: “That you, Bona Jepnum Boniface ( a.k.a Trace Adkins), sometime between February and May , 2025 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did commit an offense to wit: cheating by impersonation when you falsely represented yourself as Trace Adkins and in such assumed identity, induced one Frank Randazzo to send to you the total sum $300 (Three Hundred United State of America Dollars, only) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the same law.”

They all pleaded “guilty” to their charge, following which prosecution counsel, M.Lawal and M.E.Eimonye prayed the courts to convict and sentence them accordingly.

Justice Bello convicted and sentenced Olarinoye to seven years imprisonment or to pay N300,000.00 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. In addition, he relinquished and transferred his rights over the property known as No 22 Lere Street, Unguwan Dosa, Kaduna, Kaduna State to his victim, one Ibrahim Inuwa Aliyu, in restitution. She convicted and sentenced Dikum to three years imprisonment or to pay N200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. In addition, he forfeited an Itel A80 mobile phone, being the tool of his crime to the federal government.

Justice Zubairu convicted and sentenced Boniface and John to five years imprisonment, each or to pay N300,000.00 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira) and N400,000.00 (Four Hundred Thousand Naira only) fine, respectively. In addition Boniface forfeited his iPhone 14 Pro and the sum of $300 (Three Hundred United States Dollars), while John forfeited a Samsung Galaxy S21 and the sum of $300 (Three Hundred United State of America Dollars), being the tools and proceeds of their crimes, respectively to the federal government.

Wisdom bagged three years imprisonment or to pay N300,000.00 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. In addition, he forfeited his Samsung S9 mobile phone and the sum of $100 (One Hundred USD), being the tools and proceeds of his crime, respectively to the federal government.