Man jailed 18 months for defrauding business partner

 A Zuba  Upper Area Court in Abuja on Tuesday sentenced a 25-year old businessman, Shamus Rabiu, to 18 months imprisonment for defrauding his business pattern.

The Area Court judge, Mr Gambo Garba sentenced Rabiu, on the three counts of breach of trust, cheating and obtaining by false pretence

Garba however, gave him an option of N30,000 fine and also ordered him to pay the N8000, 000 in damages to the complainant.

The judge said that the punishment would have been stiffer if the convict had not saved the court the rigour of protracted prosecution.

He also warned the convict to be of good behaviour.

Earlier, the convict, pleaded guilty and begged the court for leniency.

The Prosecution Counsel, Mr Chinedu Ogada, told the court that on Aug. 6,  the complainant, Opara Nathaniel of 5th avenue Gwarinpa, Abuja, reported the matter at the Gwarinpa Police Station.

Ogada said that sometime in April the convict deceived the complainant and collected N940,000 to buy a Tricycle and remit N30, 000 weekly to him.

He told the court that after the convict collected the money, he absconded and dishonestly converted the amount to his personal use.

The prosecutor added that during police investigation, the convict made a confessional statement and all efforts made to recover the money failed.

Ogada said the offence contravened the provisions of sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.