A Sokoto State High Court, on Tuesday, sentenced two officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mainasara Malami and Emmanuel Salihu, to 14 years imprisonment for defrauding four persons of N1.9 million under the pretence of securing jobs for them.

They were convicted for collecting the money to facilitate recruitment into the NSCDC.

The charges were instituted against the officials by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commissions (EFCC), while the case was first mentioned on September 20, 2018.

In his judgment, Justice Malami Dogon-Daji, said that the prosecution, led by Sa’ad Hannafi, had proved beyond doubt the two charges of criminal conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretence levelled against the convicts.

He said that the charges contravened some sections of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.

The judge said that he considered the plea of leniency by the convicts on grounds of having dependants and with no such records.

He, therefore, sentenced them to seven years imprisonment each on each count charge, without options of fine.

Mr Dogon-Daji also ordered the convicts to refund the N1.9 million collected to the four rightful owners who were the victims of the fraud.

He, however, said that the jail term should begin from the date the convicts were arrested by EFCC.