A Kano High Court has sentenced a banker, Aliyu Suleiman, to 195
years imprisonment for stealing from a microfinance bank in Albasu Local
Government Area of Kano State.
The court, presided over by Justice Dije Abdu Aboki, convicted and
sentenced Suleiman on a 105-count charge to 195 years imprisonment with
fines of N300,000 which if he failed to pay will give him additional
prison terms.
The convict was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) on September 30, 2014, for stealing over N21,000,000
from Albasu Microfinance Bank and diverting same into his account.
Suleiman had pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
In her judgement yesterday, Aboki sentenced the convict to two years
imprisonment on each of count one to 44 and fine of N300,000 on each.
Where the convict defaults the fine, he is to serve additional six months imprisonment on each count.
From count 45 to 74, the convict was sentenced fined N500,000 or 12
months imprisonment on each count while on count 75 to 105, he is to pay
a fine of N200,000 or 12 months imprisonment on each count with the
exception of count 97 which appeared to be a duplication.
The sentences were to run concurrently. The convict was also ordered
to restitute N14,815,000 to the Albasu community or spend five more
years in prison.
The convict was a former employee of Oceanic Bank who was engaged and
entrusted by the Albasu community to take charge of its microfinance
bank. But the convict violated that trust and siphoned over N21 million
by forging signatures of the other signatories to the funds.