Court Sentences Public Servant to Two Years in Prison For Impersonation

A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Minna has sentenced Usman Agwai, a public servant to two years in prison for impersonation and extortion.

Agwai, a staff of the Justice Fati Lami Institute for Administrative and Legal Studies was docked alongside Mohammed Umar, also a staff of the college on three counts of impersonation.

When the charges were read to them, Agwai, pleaded guilty and begged for leniency while Umar denied the allegation.

Chief Magistrate Hauwa Yusuf convicted and sentenced Agwai to two years imprisonment with an option to pay a fine of N30, 000.

Yusuf admitted Umar to bail in the sum of N50, 000 with a surety in like sum.

She adjourned the matter until October 10 for further mention.

Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Sgt. Bello Mohammed, told the court that the complainant,  Zubairu Shehu, who resides in old Airport quarters, Minna, reported the matter on September 12.

Mohammed alleged that the defendant used his name as the examination officer of the institute to defraud students of the college.

“He was collecting money from unsuspecting students under the pretext to help them pass their examination,’’ the prosecutor said.

He said that police swung into action and arrested Agwai who confessed to the crime and said that he assigned Umar, a student of the school to collect the money on his behalf.

According to him, Agwai threatened the students with withdrawal from the school if they refuse to cooperate.

Mohammed, said, the offence contravened the provisions of sections 397, 132 and 292 of the penal code law.