David Osigbe bags one-year imprisonment for N9.9m misappropriation in Borno

Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri, has handed down a verdict, convicting David Osigbe Irumekhai and sentencing him to one year in prison for the misappropriation of N9,900,000 (Nine Million, Nine Hundred Thousand Naira only).

Irumekhai faced his initial arraignment on December 8, 2022, on a single count charge related to the misappropriation of N9.9 million.

The charge stated: “That you, David Osigbe Irumekhai, sometime in November 2020, in Maiduguri, Borno State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly converted to your own use the total sum of Nine Million Nine Hundred Thousand Naira (N9, 900,000.00), being money belonging to Nuhu Titus, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of Penal Code Law Cap 102, Laws of Borno State 1994 and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law.”

Irumekhai pleaded not guilty to the charge, leading to a full trial of the case by the Maiduguri Zonal Command of the EFCC.

Mukhtar Ali Ahmed, the EFCC’s counsel, presented three witnesses and submitted numerous documents as evidence during the trial.

In her verdict, Justice Kumaliya found Irumekhai guilty, convicted him, and imposed a fine of N200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira only) or a one-year prison term. Additionally, she ordered the convict to repay a balance of N9.4 million to his victim or face an additional six years of imprisonment.

Irumekhai’s journey to the Correctional Centre commenced when he wrongfully appropriated N9.9 million belonging to Nuhu Titus, and despite all efforts to recover the money, he failed to make amends.