An Abuja Senior Magistrates’ Court on Friday sentence a Travel Agent, Hassana Bayero, 29, to 190 days imprisonment for cheating one Hajiya Aisha Abdulkadir of N630,000.
Bayero was convicted by Senior Magistrate Abdullahi Illelah for criminal breach of trust and cheating, after she pleaded guilty to duping Abdulkadir of the money.
Illelah, ordered the convict to pay N630,000 as compensation to Abdulkadir and an additional N50,000 as value for the international passport
Illelah, however, gave the convict an option to pay a fine of N5,500.
The senior magistrate, while pronouncing judgment, said the accused’s plea for leniency was important but that she had to punish her to serve as deterrent to others.
“I put into consideration, the plea of the convict and the fact that she did not waste the time of the court by admitting to her offence and she is a first time offender,’’ Illelah said.
Earlier, the convict begged the court to have mercy on her.
“I am very sorry, I am married with three children, it is the work of the devil.”
The Police Prosecutor, Mr Simon Emmanuel, had told the court that Abdulkadir of Longa Crescent, Wuse 11, Abuja reported the matter at the Life Camp Police Station in Abuja on June 20.
Emmanuel said that in December 2012, the complainant gave the accused N580,000 and her travelling passport to process a ticket to enable her travel to Mecca to perform the hajj.
He said the accused dubiously swindled the complainant and ran to an unknown destination and converted the said money to her personal use.
