Bebeto Haruna, 32, who was arraigned along with Bukuni, was also sentenced to nine years in jail.
The Chief Magistrate, Yusuf Babasoro, in a three-hour judgment, 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 as charged on the 1stand 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-countcharge of fraud to the tune of N3.5 million 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.
The magistrate, delivering his judgment on Bukuni, 59, found him guilty of criminal conspiracy, impersonation and cheating.He sentenced the convict to two years’ imprisonment with an option of N20,000 fine.
Babasoro said the offences contravened Section 597 ofthe Penal Code.Earlier, the prosecutor, ASP Mohammed Ibrahim, in his First Information Report filed before the court on March20, 2013, said Haruna and Bukuni committed the offences sometime between June and December 2013.
Ibrahim said the two men criminally conspired betweenthemselves and impersonated Senator Emmanuel Bwacha and the Vice-Chancellor of the Taraba State University, Prof. Sani Yahaya.
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 Taraba State University.
He stated that the two convicts had, similarly, defrauded one Bala Yakubu and 12 others of N1,420,000 on the pretext of presenting their names to the Vice-Chancellor of Taraba State University as candidates of Bwacha seeking to be offered employment.
Furthermore, Ibrahim said the convicts had sometime in December 2012 used a GSM number, 08108989887, to impersonate Bwacha and defrauded one Ishaku Adamu, the suspended Chairman of Ibi Local Government Council of Taraba State.
The prosecutor said the fraudsters collected N500,000 and a N95,000 cow from the council chairman to assisthim plead with members of the Taraba State House of Assembly to revoke his suspension and return him to office.
According to Ibrahim, the two convicted persons also defrauded one Danasabe Jatau and collected N486,000 and gave him four forged appointment lettersof the Taraba State University.Ibrahim had urged the court to give the convicted persons the highest punishment as the offences contravened the provisions of Sections 97, 179, 322 and 364 of the penal code.
Babasoro said Haruna was guilty as charged on the 1stand 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-countcharge of fraud to the tune of N3.5 million 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.
The magistrate, delivering his judgment on Bukuni, 59, found him guilty of criminal conspiracy, impersonation and cheating.He sentenced the convict to two years’ imprisonment with an option of N20,000 fine.
Babasoro said the offences contravened Section 597 ofthe Penal Code.Earlier, the prosecutor, ASP Mohammed Ibrahim, in his First Information Report filed before the court on March20, 2013, said Haruna and Bukuni committed the offences sometime between June and December 2013.
Ibrahim said the two men criminally conspired betweenthemselves and impersonated Senator Emmanuel Bwacha and the Vice-Chancellor of the Taraba State University, Prof. Sani Yahaya.
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 Taraba State University.
He stated that the two convicts had, similarly, defrauded one Bala Yakubu and 12 others of N1,420,000 on the pretext of presenting their names to the Vice-Chancellor of Taraba State University as candidates of Bwacha seeking to be offered employment.
Furthermore, Ibrahim said the convicts had sometime in December 2012 used a GSM number, 08108989887, to impersonate Bwacha and defrauded one Ishaku Adamu, the suspended Chairman of Ibi Local Government Council of Taraba State.
The prosecutor said the fraudsters collected N500,000 and a N95,000 cow from the council chairman to assisthim plead with members of the Taraba State House of Assembly to revoke his suspension and return him to office.
According to Ibrahim, the two convicted persons also defrauded one Danasabe Jatau and collected N486,000 and gave him four forged appointment lettersof the Taraba State University.Ibrahim had urged the court to give the convicted persons the highest punishment as the offences contravened the provisions of Sections 97, 179, 322 and 364 of the penal code.
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