Court jails woman 16 years for defrauding 194 widows

A Borno State High Court has convicted a former court official in the state, Ramat Mohammed, alias Gaddafi, of N781,800 fraud and sentenced her to 16 years’ imprisonment.

The court, in a judgment on Tuesday by Justice Umaru Fadawu, said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission proved beyond reasonable doubts the fraud charges against Mohammed.

The anti-graft agency had in the two counts filed against the convict told the court that she obtained a total of N781,800 from 194 widows in a fake food scheme.

Mohammed was said to have, in the name of a non-governmental organisation, Action Against Hunger, sold fake Food Collection Cards to the 194 widows.

She had falsely claimed to the widows that the cards would entitle them to the collection of various food items.

According to the EFCC in a statement, the convict carried out the fraud in Auno town, Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State.

The anti-graft agency said she acted contrary to Section 1(1) (a) of the advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and was liable to be punished under Section 1(3) of the same Act.

Upon her arraignment, Mohammed had denied the allegations, but Justice Fadawu found her guilty at the end of the trial.

The judge sentenced her to 16 years – eight years’ imprisonment on each of the two counts but said the sentences would run concurrently.

The judge also ordered the convict to make restitution to the 194 widows of Fissabi-lillah Islamic School by refunding them with the N781,800.

The statement quoted the judge as saying, “The court hereby sentences you to eight years imprisonment on count one. You are hereby sentenced to eight years imprisonment on count two and the years to run concurrently.

“The court orders you, Ramat Mohammed (alias Gaddafi), to pay the aggregate sum of N781,800.00 to 194 women of Fissabi-lillah Islamic School or nine years in default.

“The prison term shall run consecutively.”