After being found guilty of stealing exhibits, Hussaini Abubakar, a former staff of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has been sentenced to one year in jail.
Abubakar faced a three-count charge related to stealing and was arraigned by the Port Harcourt Zonal Office of the EFCC.
One of the charges against him stated;
“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 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, belonging to one Chuku Nelson Nyegam and thereby committed an offence.”
The convict admitted to the charges while his defense counsel, M. M Suleiman, pleaded with the court for leniency. Suleiman cited Abubakar’s status as a first-time offender with no prior convictions, an orphan, a married man, a father to a 15-month-old child, and the sole provider for his family.
However, Justice S.C Amadi of the Rivers State High Court sentenced Abubakar to one year in prison or a fine of N150,000.