A High Court in Damaturu, Yobe State, has sentenced Abubakar Sadiq Abubakar to a cumulative 37 years in prison for defrauding victims of over N29 million through a fake sorghum procurement deal.
Justice Lawu Lawan delivered the judgment after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Maiduguri Zonal Directorate, secured his conviction on four counts bordering on obtaining by false pretence, forgery and criminal misappropriation.
The court heard that the convict posed as a procurement officer of BUA Foods Plc to deceive his victims into paying N29,175,000 for the supposed supply of 38.9 metric tonnes of white sorghum.
Prosecution counsel, Muktar Ali Ahmed, told the court that five witnesses and multiple documents were presented to establish how the accused used forged agreements, receipts and company documents to perpetrate the fraud.
Justice Lawan also ordered the convict to refund the full sum of N29,175,000 to the victims or face an additional 10-year jail term.
The EFCC said the conviction “underscores ongoing efforts to curb procurement fraud and protect businesses from financial crimes in the region.”
