Ex-Zamfara varsity VC jailed 35 years for N260m fraud

Justice Maryam Hassan Aliyu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Garki, on Thursday, sentenced the former Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Gusau, Prof. Magaji Garba, to 35 years for N260 million fraud.

He was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on October 12, 2021, on a five-count charge of obtaining money under false pretence and forgery.

The commission accused Garba of extorting various sums from a contractor on the pretext of awarding him a N3 billion contract for the perimeter wall fencing at the university.

READ ALSO: EFCC arrests ex-Zamfara gov, Abdulaziz Yari over alleged role in Accountant-General’s N80bn fraud

The offence, according to the commission, was contrary to section 1 (1) (a) and punishable under section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.

The judge found the defendant guilty of all the charges and convicted him accordingly.

Justice Aliyu, who said the prosecution proved its case against the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt, sentenced him to seven years on counts 1 to 3 and seven years imprisonment on counts 4 and 5 with an option of N10 million fine each.

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