The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has successfully prosecuted and convicted the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Orio Business Connect Limited, Alhaji Kabiru Haruna, for fraud involving N33 million.
According to the Head of Media and Publicity at the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, the Commission successfully obtained a conviction and sentencing on October 4, 2023. This occurred before Justice H. Mu’azu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja.
The individual in question had been initially brought to trial by the EFCC on December 14, 2021, facing eight charges related to fraudulent activities involving a sum of Thirty Three Million Seven Hundred and Five Thousand Naira (N33,705,000).
One of the specific charges reads: “You Alhaji Kabiru Haruna, being the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Orio Business Connect Limited and you Orio Business Connect Limited on or about the 6th day of May 2017 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honorable court with intent to defraud obtained the sum of Six Million, Nine Hundred Thousand Naira (N6, 900,000) from Mr and Mrs Clement Anunwa as part payment for three plots of land at plot 527 Cadastral Zone B00,Kukwauba Distract, Abuja which land you represented to them was allotted by the Minister of Federal Capital Territory which presentation you knew is false and thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences ACT 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act”.
Upon the reading of the charges, he entered a plea of not guilty, and the case proceeded to a full trial. During the trial, the prosecution, led by Samuel Ugwuegbulam, presented numerous witnesses and submitted various documents to the court.
In his verdict, Justice Mu’azu found Haruna culpable and subsequently convicted him, imposing a seven-year prison sentence. Additionally, the court ruled that both Haruna and Orio Business Connect Limited were jointly responsible for compensating the victim with the sum of Thirty Three Million Seven Hundred and Five Thousand Naira (N33,705,000), which constituted the proceeds of the fraudulent activity.
Haruna’s legal troubles began when two individuals, Dr. Oby Joyce and Chief Clement Anuwa, filed petitions with the EFCC, detailing how the convict had deceived them by promising to secure three plots of land for them at Plot 527 Cadatral Zone B00, Kukwauba District, Abuja. However, he failed to deliver the promised land and did not return their money.