By Yemi Akinsuyi
Justice Muhammad Maina of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri on Friday, November 14, 2025 convicted and sentenced Bukar Umar Alhaji to two years imprisonment.
Alhaji was first arraigned on November 27, 2024 by the Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC , on a two count charge for the offence of obtaining by false pretence and criminal misappropriation to the tune of N2,100,000.00 (Two Million, One Hundred Thousand Naira).
Count two reads: “That you, Bukar Umar Alhaji, with National Identification Number (NIN) 9584243514 and Babagoni Umar (now at large), sometime in March, 2022 in Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly misappropriated and converted to your own use the aggregate sum of N2,100,000.00 (Two Million, One Hundred Thousand Naira), belonging to Ibrahim Ismai’l under the guise that the said money is for the sale of two plots of land to him, situates at Mafa Local Government area of Borno State, the land which you knew does not belong to you and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Borno State Penal Code Law Cap 102 1994 and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty and the matter proceeded into trial where prosecution counsel Faruku Muhammad presented six witnesses and tendered four exhibits in proof of the EFCC case against the defendant.
Thereafter, Justice Maina in a judgment convicted and sentenced the defendant to two years imprisonment for the offence of criminal misappropriation with an option of fine of N200, 000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira).
The judge further ordered the convict to pay the balance of N750, 000 (Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) to his victim.
The convict’s journey to the correctional facility started when he sold two plots of land not belonging to him to his victim and refused to refund the money to him.
