Court Sentences Two for Defrauding Billionaire Aminu Dantata and Former Minister

A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Gyadi-Gyadi, Kano, has convicted Bukar Galadima and Suleiman Ahmed on charges of fraud, after they attempted to deceive Kano billionaire Alhaji Aminu Dantata and former Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo.

The court found that Galadima and Ahmed conspired to defraud Dantata of N5 million and Gwarzo of N1 million. Galadima allegedly impersonated former FCT Minister, Engineer Abba Gama, claiming to be in need of medical assistance. Dantata sent him N5 million, only to later discover that the real Gama had made no such request.

Following a complaint filed by Dantata, the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission investigated the matter, leading to the arrest and arraignment of the two defendants. Magistrate Umma Sani Kurawa found them guilty of criminal conspiracy, impersonation, and breach of trust, sentencing them to six months’ imprisonment or a fine of N30,000 for conspiracy, three months or a N20,000 fine for impersonation, and six months or a N20,000 fine for breach of trust.

The court also ordered the convicts to pay N5 million in compensation to Dantata, with an additional two-year prison term if they fail to do so.

Zahraddeen Kofar Mata, counsel for the anti-corruption commission, stated that N1 million was recovered from the defendants related to the fraud against the former minister. Though Gwarzo had not filed a formal complaint, the fraud was discovered during the commission’s investigation.

The defendants were convicted under Section 129 (8) of the ACJL 2019.