Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri, convicted and sentenced David Osigbe Irumekhai to one year in prison for criminal embezzlement amounting to N9,900,000 (Nine million nine hundred thousand naira only).
The defendant was first charged on December 8, 2022 with one count of criminal embezzlement amounting to N9.9 million.
The charge reads: “That you, David Osigbe Irumekhai, in the month of November 2020 at Maiduguri, Borno State, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, dishonestly converted for use for His own purpose total amount of nine million nine hundred thousand naira (N9,900,000.00) as money. belongs to Nuhu Titus and thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 308 of the Penal Code Article 102, Laws of the State of Borno, 1994 and punishable under Section 309 of the same Act.
Irumekhai pleaded not guilty, prompting the EFCC's Maiduguri Area Command to try the entire case.
EFCC lawyer, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed produced three witnesses and submitted some documents as evidence as exhibits.
In his judgment, Justice Kumaliya found Irumekhai guilty, found him guilty and sentenced him to a fine of 200,000 naira (just two hundred thousand naira) or one year in prison. She further ordered the convict to pay the balance of N9.4 million to the victim or face another six years in prison.
Irumekhai's journey to the correctional center began when he transferred Nuhu Titus's N9.9 million for his own use. All efforts to get him to refund the money were futile.