7th April, 2022
Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna High Court sitting has convicted and sentenced one Tanko Gambo Biye to ten years imprisonment for criminal misappropriation.
He was jailed on Tuesday, after pleading “guilty” to a count charge bordering on criminal misappropriation, upon his arraignment by the Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The one-count amended charge read: ” That you Tukur Gambo Biye sometime in 2017 in Kaduna within the Kaduna Judicial Division of the High Court being entrusted with a sum of N900,000.00 (Nine Hundred Thousand Naira) from one Ayuba Mohammed Yakasai and Lawal Pate Iya to register them with the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, which you dishonestly converted to your use in violation of the legal contract you made regarding the said sum and you thereby committed criminal misappropriation contrary to Section 293 of the Penal Code Law of Kaduna State, 2017 and punishable under Section 294 of the same Law.”
The defendant pleaded “guilty “to the one-count charge when it was read to him.
Upon his guilty plea, the prosecution counsel, E. K Garba prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly.
Defence counsel, Nura Tukur didn’t raise any objection but pleaded with the court “to temper justice with mercy as the defendant is a first-time offender with many children.
Justice Khobo, thereafter convicted and sentenced the defendant to pay a fine of N100, 000, 00 (One Hundred Thousand naira), or 10 years imprisonment, if he fails to pay the fine.
The convict has also paid back the N900, 000.00(Nine Hundred Thousand Naira only) to the victims.
Biye’s journey to the Correctional Centre started when two petitioners alleged that he collected the sum of N900, 000(Nine Hundred Thousand Naira only) from them, to register them with the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN). He neither registered them nor returned their money to them.