The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of one Abdullahi Bello Kuloku (also known as Daniel Sunday Kuloku) before Justice Sa’ad Muhammad of the Gombe State High Court on one count charge of cheating.

The offence is contrary to Section 320 (a) and (b) of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 322 of the same Law.

Kuloku was arrested by operatives of the EFCC last year in Jos, Plateau State following a complaint by one Abdulsalam Muhammed Abubakar alleging that sometime in November 2016, a Globacom Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) pack card vendor approached him that "he sells SIM packs as well as Glo data which converts airtime into data."

The complainant allegedly showed interest and gave his phone to the convict for conversion. Shockingly, N98,525 was instead fraudulently transferred from the complainant’s First Bank account into a Guaranty Trust Bank account of one Daniel Sunday Kuloku.

Investigation into the matter revealed that the convict, Kuloku, was the one operating the account in the name ‘Daniel Sunday Kuloku’.

He pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

In view of his admittance of guilt, the prosecution counsel, A. Y. Muntaka urged the court to convict and sentence Kuloku according to the dictates of the law.

Having no objection from the defence counsel, Abubakar Sanda Bormi, the case was summarily reviewed. The prosecution called a witness, Samira Bello Alkali to testify and several documents relating to the case were tendered as exhibits through her.

In his judgment, Justice Muhammad pronounced the accused guilty as charged and sentenced him to one month imprisonment.

The judge, however, gave an option of N10,000 as fine, in consideration of the plea by the defence counsel urging him “to temper justice with mercy as the convict was a first time offender and a 300 Level university student.”

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