Court jails man for two years over N35m fráud in Abuja

Justice S. M. Mayana of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, sitting in Apo, Abuja, has convicted and sentenced one Daniel Ameh to two years imprisonment for criminal misappropriation involving N35 million.

According to a post on the anti-graft agency’s X handle, Ameh was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a one-count charge bordering on criminal misappropriation, contrary to Section 309 of the Penal Code.

The court found Ameh guilty and gave him the option of paying a N1 million fine in lieu of a two-year jail term.

Additionally, Justice Mayana ordered Ameh to pay N22 million in restitution to the victim, Inalegu Egwa.

The EFCC’s post reads:

“Justice S. M. Mayana of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, sitting in Apo, Abuja, on Monday, May 5, 2025, convicted and sentenced one Daniel Ameh to imprisonment for fraud.

“The convict was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission , EFCC on a one-count charge, bordering on criminal misappropriation to the tune of N35million (Thirty-five Million Naira), which ran contrary to Section 309 of the Penal Code and punishable under the same section and to which he pleaded “not guilty.”

“In the course of his trial, prosecution counsel, Ibrahim Buba called three witnesses and tendered relevant documents.

“Justice Mayana convicted and sentenced Ameh to two years imprisonment or to pay N1million (One Million Naira) fine. In addition to his jail term, he was ordered to pay the sum of N22 million (Twenty-two Million Naira), in restitution to his victim, one Inalegu Egwa.

“Investigation revealed that Ameh in 2021 advised Egwa to register a bureau de change, BDC business, which Egwa agreed and engaged the convict to do the registration for him in the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, and to apply for the relevant licence from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

“Egwa paid the sum of N36million (Thirty-Six Million Naira) through the convict’s bank account for remittance to the CBN.

“But in 2022, the apex bank announced the cancellation of BDC registrations and directed all affected applicants to forward their account details for refund of payments they made.

“Rather than inform Egwa of the new development for the channeling of the refund accordingly, the convict kept his victim in the dark, received the money in his personal account and converted it to his own use.” [CONTINUE READING HERE]>>>>>