The Upper Customary Court in Kafanchan, Kaduna State, has handed down a conviction to a 30-year-old man identified as Bege Mato, on charges of cheating.
The presiding Judge, George Gwani, decreed a 6-month jail term for the defendant after he was found guilty of the charges brought against him.
The accused, a resident of Kamuru, stood accused of both criminal breach of trust and cheating. The case was brought before the court after the complainant, Julius Jonah, reported the incident to the Kafanchan Divisional Police station on July 25.
According to the Police Prosecutor, Inspector Esther Bishen, the complainant alleged that Bege Mato had accepted a payment of N795,000 from him to supply a quantity of ginger.
However, it was contended that the defendant only delivered ginger worth N535,000, and further misappropriated the remaining N260,000 for his personal use.
In response to the charges, the defendant pleaded guilty and appealed for leniency from the court. The prosecutor underscored that the defendant’s actions were in clear violation of sections 296 and 306 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law.
In a verdict delivered with firmness, Justice George Gwani sentenced Bege Mato to three months of imprisonment for the first count and a concurrent six-month sentence for the second count.
The judge, however, granted the defendant the opportunity to opt for fines instead of serving the full jail term. A fine of N15,000 was stipulated for the first offence, and a fine of N25,000 for the second.
Additionally, responding to an application put forth by the prosecutor, the judge ordered the defendant to compensate the complainant with the sum of N260,000.