Gombe State High Court on Friday sentenced one George Habu Nuhu to six months’ imprisonment for defrauding one Shehu Makama of N7.6 million.

In an X post on Saturday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) disclosed that Mr Habu was convicted after its state command prosecuted him on a one-count charge of intent to defraud.

The charge read, “That you. George Habu Nuhu, between March 2018 and November 2019, at Gombe, Gombe State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court with intent to defraud, obtained the aggregate sum of N7,678,000 (seven million, six hundred and seventy-eight thousand naira) property of Shehu Makama which you claimed that the money was payment for the “Madrid timber log” and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 320 of the Penal Code Law and punishable under section 322 of the same Law.”

After the convict pleaded guilty to the charge, prosecution counsel, S.E. Okemini, asked the court to sentence him accordingly, but the defence counsel, Yusuf .A. Ali, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.

The presiding judge, Justice J.A. Kereng, therefore sentenced Mr Nuhu to six months in jail, with an option of a N60,000 fine.

Justice Kereng also ordered the convict to restitute the N7,678,000 proceeds of his crime to his victim within six months, starting from May 2024.