By ABIRHIRE THOMAS
The Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today June 9, 2022, secured the conviction of the duo of Oko Sunday and Nura Lawal Muhammed before Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court, Kaduna for conspiracy to commit forgery.
Sunday allegedly forged a Special Control Unit against Money Laundering, SCUML certificate which he used in opening an account for his company, Sabo Villa L. Multi Investment Global Nigeria, in Kaduna branch of Jaiz Bank Plc.
Investigation revealed that the second defendant, Nura Muhammed actually forged the document. When a search warrant was executed in his house, six (6) other forged certificates bearing the names of different companies were recovered.
The one count amended charge reads: “That you, Oko Sunday Igoche being the Managing Director of Sabo Villa L. Multi Investment Global Nig. Ltd and Nura Lawal Muhammed sometime in 2021 in Kaduna within the Kaduna Judicial Division of the High Court with intent to defraud, conspired among yourselves to do an illegal act, to wit: forgery, when you forged a Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML) Certificate titled “Sabo Villa L. Multi Investment Global Nigeria Limited” and dated 21st December, 2021 for the purpose of enabling Sabo Villa L. Multi Investment Global Nigeria Limited to open and operate a corporate bank account in Jaiz Bank Plc, which representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 58(1) (a) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under Section 59(2) of the same Act”.
The defendants pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to them.
Consequently, the prosecution counsel, E.K Garba and the two defence counsel, T.C Iroegbo and Zaid Umar, prayed the court to enter the plea bargain agreement between the parties as the judgment of the court.
The judge, after hearing from counsel, convicted and sentenced the duo to pay a fine of N100,000.00 each. Where they are unable to pay the fine, they shall serve a term of one year each in prison.
