From Agaju Madugba, Katsina
A former Permanent Secretary at the Katsina State Government House, Sule Yusuf Saulawa, on Friday bagged a seven-year jail term over a case of N2.5 million Advanced Fee Fraud popularly known as 419.
In his judgement on the matter, which was brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Justice Sanusi Tukur, of the Katsina State High Court, did not give the convict any option of fine.
He argued that the sentence was the minimum allowed under Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3)of the same Act.
The convict was said to have sometime in 2015, falsely obtained N2.5 million from one Alhaji Musa Baba (now late), assuring him of a fertilizer contract from the state government. He was also said to have encouraged Alhaji Baba who was Chairman of Many Agro- Allied and Chemicals Company Nigeria limited and Diamond Fertilizer Nigeria Limited, to write a proposal seeking for the supply of the said fertilizer.
However, the state government in a letter by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Mustapha Inuwa, denied knowledge of the said contract.
In his judgement, Justice Tukur noted that Alhaji Baba did not secure the contract and did not get his N2.5 million back from Saulawa, prompting him to petition the EFCC.
According to the Judge, “Saulawa did not deny collecting the money from Alhaji Baba even when he knew that the said contract was a hoax. If you are not satisfied with my judgement, go to the Appeal Court.”