Former EFCC personnel bags one year jail term for Stealing Exhibits

A former staff of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Hussaini Abubakar has been sentenced to one year imprisonment with N150,000 option of fine, for stealing.

The defendant was arraigned by the EFCC, Port Harcourt Zonal Office at the Rivers State High Court, Port Harcourt, on a three-count charge, bordering on stealing.

The prosecuting counsel, N . A. Dodo said his offence was contrary to Section 383 (1) and punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Code CAP 37 vol. II Laws of Rives State of Nigeria, 1999.

Count One of the charge reads: "That you,Hussaina Abubakar, in 2017 at Port Harcourt in the Port Harcourt Judicial Division did fraudulently steal an exhibit from the Forensic Section of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, an exhibit which you knew was recovered in the course of investigation to wit: One Lenevo S60-A (daul sim) with serial number: HBOGOHAQ with IME slot number: 1-866059026043140, worth N18,000 (Eighteen Thousand Naira), belonging to one Chuku Nelson Nyegam and thereby committed an offence."

Abubakar pleaded guilty to all the charges and prosecuting counsel urged the court to convict and sentence him accordingly.

However, defence counsel M. M Suleiman prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, having been found to be a first time offender and with no previous conviction record, and taking into consideration that the defendant is an orphan, a married man and a father of a 15-month baby and a bread winner for his family.

Justice S.C Amadi convicted and sentenced Abubakar to one year imprisonment with N150,000 option of fine