Abdulrahman Aliyu, former director of Echo Logistics, was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison by Abuja Federal High Court Judge F.E. Messiri for his involvement in a 250 million naira (N250 million) fraud.
He was jailed on Wednesday, June 14, 2023, on three counts of criminal breach of trust, forgery and fraud amounting to N250 million.
One of the charges reads: “You, Abdul Rahman Aliyu, served in the Judiciary of the Federal Capital Territory High Court of Abuja from July 2018 to July 2019 while serving as one of the directors of Echo Logistics Limited. 1. And entrusted to manage a certain property: Alhaji Chubado Tijjani Babbi transferred a sum of N250,000,000.00 (250 million naira) as investment funds for the sale of telecom recharge cards to the account of Echo Logistics Limited, which is located at Jaiz Bank, account number 0002518093, you is the sole signatory to the account and did constitute a criminal breach of trust by dishonestly misappropriating said funds in violation of the dissolution of the trust agreement, you are therefore guilty of a violation of Section 311 of the Group Act and may be subject to Penalties are based on article 312 of the Act”.
In the trial, which began on November 9, 2021, the EFCC called five witnesses, gave nine pieces of evidence and closed the case. The prosecution and defense adopted final written arguments on April 25, 2023, which the judge reserved until June 14, 2023 for sentencing.
In sentencing, Judge Mesili convicted all three counts and sentenced the defendant to five years’ imprisonment: one year’s imprisonment for the first count, with an option for a fine of N300,000.00 (three hundred thousand naira); Years in prison, with an optional fine; a second count with an optional fine. For the second offence, a fine of N500,000.00 (500,000 Naira) and two years’ imprisonment; for the third offence, a fine of N500,000.00 (500,000 Naira).
However, the judge did not order damages because Echo Logistics was liable and was paying dividends to the complainant.
