The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission announced on Monday the successful conviction of two men who defrauded well-known businessman Alhaji Aminu Dantata and former Minister of State for Housing, Alhaji A.T. Gwarzo.
The commission also recovered a substantial sum, totaling N5 million from the convicted individuals, which they had illicitly obtained from these prominent figures.
At a press briefing following the court session, prosecution counsel Zahraddeen Hamisu Kofarmata shared details of the elaborate scheme carried out by the defendants, Bukar Galadima and his accomplice, Sulyman Ahmed.
According to Kofarmata, Galadima devised a deceptive plan to pose as Mohammed Abba Gana, a former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, and pretended to be in urgent need of medical funds.
He contacted Alhaji Aminu Dantata, seeking N5 million for alleged medical expenses. Dantata, believing the story, agreed to provide financial help and asked Galadima to forward his bank account details.
Rather than sending his own account information, Galadima provided the account number of his wife, Sadiyya Abba, concealing his true identity. Trusting the request, Dantata transferred N5 million to this account, thinking he was helping an ailing former minister.
After the funds were received, Galadima reportedly sent N500,000 to his partner, Sulyman Ahmed, who was based in Abuja, while he retained N4.5 million for himself.
The scheme was eventually uncovered when Dantata reached out to the real former FCT Minister to inquire about his health, only to find out that he had been deceived.
Dantata reported the fraudulent act to the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, prompting an investigation.
Both suspects were soon apprehended and charged in Magistrates’ Court No. 24 in Kano, where they faced several serious allegations, including criminal conspiracy, impersonation, cheating, and criminal breach of trust.
In court, both Galadima and Ahmed admitted to their offenses. Following their confessions, Chief Magistrate Umma Sani Kurawa sentenced each of them to four years in prison.
The court’s ruling outlined specific penalties: six months’ imprisonment or a N30,000 fine for criminal conspiracy, three months or a N20,000 fine for impersonation, one year or a N30,000 fine for cheating, and six months or a N20,000 fine for criminal breach of trust.
They were further instructed to pay N5 million as compensation to Dantata; failure to do so would add two more years to their sentences.
Additionally, the investigation revealed that the same fraudulent tactics were used to deceive Alhaji A.T. Gwarzo, from whom they obtained N1 million.
Although Gwarzo had not filed an official complaint, the fraud was detected during the agency’s inquiries, leading to the recovery of his funds as well.
