Benue: Man bags 2-year jail term for fertiliser fraud

A Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi in Benue State has sentenced one Ifeanyi Uche to two years imprisonment over N325,000 fertiliser fraud.

The convict, Uche was said to have defrauded one Orbunde Nguvern Linda of the amount of money under pretense that she would be awarded a contract for the supply of fertilizer to Federal University of Agriculture (FUAM) in Makurdi.

Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon sentenced the convict following his earlier arraignment on a one-count charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Makurdi Zonal office where he pleaded guilty after a plea bargain agreement with the Commission.

Consequent upon his guilty plea and subsequent review of the facts of the case, the prosecution counsel, Y.Y. Tarfa, prayed the court to convict him accordingly.

However, Counsel to the convict, Donald M. Kwaghtser, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, saying his client was a first time offender.

Justice Olajuwon therefore sentenced the convict to two years imprisonment with an option of fine of N100,000 and that the sum of N325,000 which had been refunded by the convict during the course of investigation be paid to the victim as a restitution.