By Olukayode Michael, Maiduguri
Proprietress of Dala Standard Secondary School, Maiduguri,
Josephine Udeh has been sentenced to a year imprisonment for defrauding 284
students of WAEC registration fees.
Udeh, who was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC), before the Justice Aisha Kumaliya’s Borno State High Court, sitting in
Maiduguri, was however given an option of paying a fine of N150,000.
Udeh, was taken to court for fraudulently collected the sum over N5 million
from 284 students of her school as WAEC registration fees.
She was first arraigned on Wednesday, April 24, 2019 on a one-count charge
bordering on obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N5, 059,000,
which she pleaded “not guilty” to
In the cause of the trial, the prosecution presented ten witnesses and tendered
ten exhibits and closed its case, which makes Udeh to enter into a plea bargain
agreement with the EFCC.
At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, July 31, 2019, prosecution counsel
Benjamin Manji prayed the court to substitute an earlier charge filed on the
9th April, 2019 with an amended charge filed on 31st July, 2019.
The amended count reads: “That you, Josephine Udeh being the Director of Dala
Standard Secondary School, Maiduguri, sometime between 2017 and 2018 at
Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court, did
dishonestly misappropriate the sum of N5,059,000 (Five Million and Fifty-Nine
Thousand Naira) only monies meant for 2017/2018 WAEC registration Fees for 284
students of the said Dala Standard Secondary School, Maiduguri and thereby
committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Penal Code Law cap 102 Laws
of Borno State of Nigeria and Punishable under Section 309 of the same Law”.
After the charge was read to her, she “pleaded guilty” to the one count amended
charge.
Manji prayed the court to convict her as charged.
Thereafter, Justice Kumaliya found her guilty and convicted her as charged
accordingly.
During prosecution, counsel for the defence B.G Sanda prayed for leniency and
urge the court to temper justice with mercy as she has restituted all the
outstanding balance.
Justice Kumaliya however sentenced her with an option of fine in the sum of
N150, 000 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) in default to spend one year
in prison custody.