Justice Darius Khobo of a Kaduna High Court, on Thursday, sentenced a businessman, Saleh Jibrin, to two years’ imprisonment for stealing N500,000 through Automated Teller Machine.
Jibrin was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He pleaded guilty and prayed for leniency.
Khobo gave him an option of N100,000 fine and warned him to desist from crime.
The judge also ordered him to pay back N500,000 to the complainant, Mr Shuaibu Khalid.
Khobo held that failure of the convict to make the restitution would attract additional eight months’ prison term.
Earlier, counsel to EFCC, Mr E.K. Garba, said that the convict was arrested by the commission following a petition written by the complainant.
Garba said that the convict and one Usman Shehu, still at large, stole N500,000 from the bank account of the complainant.
“That you, Saleh Jibrin and Usman Shehu, still at large, on or about 2nd May 2020, in Kaduna State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did commit theft of N500, 000.00, the money belonging to one Shuaibu Khalid, which you dishonestly, and without his consent, transferred out of his First Bank Plc account No. 3022810332 and subsequently withdrew using your Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) card,” EFCC said.
The offence is punishable under Section 271 (1) of the Penal Code of Kaduna State, 2017. (NAN)