December, the last month of the year, started on an unpleasant note for Professor Magaji Garba, a former Vice Chancellor of Federal University Gusau, as he was found guilty of a five count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and forgery and sentenced to 35 years in jail.
Professor Garba was jailed by Justice Maryam Hassan Aliyu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Garki, Abuja, in a judgment on a suit bordering on extortion of various sums from a contractor on the pretext of awarding him a N3 billion contract for the perimeter wall fencing of the university.
The former Vice Chancellor was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on October 12, 2021, for the alleged extortion.
The anti-graft agency said the offence is contrary to section 1 (1) (a) and punishable under section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
Count two of the charge reads: “That you, Professor Magaji Garba, whilst being the Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Gusau on or about the 15th of May, 2019 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N100,000,000 (One Hundred Million Naira) from Alhaji Shehu Umar Sambo, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Ministaco Nigeria Limited, a contractor executing the construction of the Grand Convocation Square of the Federal University, Gusau under the false pretence of awarding a project for the perimeter wall fencing of the University valued at the total sum of N3,000,000,000.00 (Three Billion Naira) which representation/pretense you knew to be false”.
Count three reads: “That you, Professor Magaji Garba, whilst being the Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Gusau on or about the 1st August, 2019 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N150,000,000.00 (One Hundred and fifty Million Naira from Alhaji Shehu Umar Sambo, Managing Director/Chief Executive officer of Ministaco Nigeria Limited, a contract executing the construction of the Grand Convocation Square at the Federal University, Gusau under the false presence of awarding a project for the perimeter wall fencing of the University valued at the total sum of N3,000,000,000.00 (Three Billion Naira), which representation/pretense you knew to be false”.
He had pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, thereby setting the stage for his full trial.
After calling witnesses and tendering so many documents, which were admitted in evidence, the EFCC closed its case on December 14, 2021.
Delivering judgment today, the trial judge said the court was satisfied that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
He pronounced the defendant “guilty” on the five counts, and sentenced him to seven years on count 1 to 3 without option of fine and seven years imprisonment on counts 4 and 5, with option of N10 million fine each.
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