Kaduna State High Court, has sentenced a man who swapped ATM cards of unsuspecting bank customers and withdrew their money to 10 years imprisonment.
The convict, Idris Musa, pleaded guilty to a one-count charge of cheating filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday, January 9, 2024.
According to the charge, Musa dishonestly induced one Idris Ismail, by swapping his Zenith Bank ATM card under the guise of helping him withdraw money in July, 2022.
He then used the card to withdraw money from Ismail’s account, an act which he knew to be false.
The charge read: “You, Idris Musa, sometime in July, 2022 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly induced one Idris Ismail by swapping his Zenith Bank ATM card under the guise of helping him withdraw money, an act which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 306(a) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under Section 307 of the same law”
Musa pleaded to the charge when it was read to him, which prompted the prosecution counsel, M.U Gadaka, to urge the court to convict him accordingly.
Justice A.A Bello, who presided over the case, sentenced Musa to a term of 10 years imprisonment or pay a fine of N200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira only).
The EFCC disclosed the conviction on its X page (formal twitter) on Friday, January 12, 2024.
The anti-graft agency said Musa was arrested on the premises of a bank with 48 ATM cards from different banks in his possession. He confessed to swapping ATM cards of unsuspecting victims under the pretence of helping them operate the payment machine.
The agency said it was committed to fighting all forms of economic and financial crimes in the country and urged the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the nearest EFCC office.
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