Kano woman sentenced to 7 years in prison over N5.6m fraud

Wednesday, February 25 2026 - A Kano State High Court has convicted and sentence a woman named Ebonine Rita Uzoamaka to seven years prison term for obtaining N5.6 million by false pretense.

The conviction was handed down by Maryam Sabo of the Kano State High Court, according to a statement posted on the official social media handle of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Uzoamaka was arraigned on August 18, 2021, on a five-count charge bordering on dishonest misappropriation of funds totalling N5,660,000.

The EFCC stated that the convict was arrested for obtaining the N5.6 million from her victim under the false pretence of supplying D-Rich Baking Powder from Aba, Abia State. Upon receiving the funds, she allegedly failed to supply the goods as agreed and converted the money to personal use, leading to her prosecution and eventual conviction.

One of the charges read in part, “That you, Ebonine Rita Uzoamaka, on the 18th January 2021 at Kano within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of N2,000,000 only from Ochayi Anthony Eneche, which you caused to be paid into your bank account number 0093030293 domiciled with Access Bank Plc under the false pretence that you had 500 cartons of D-Rich Baking Powder you would sell to him, which pretence you knew to be false.”

The charge was said to be contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.

The defendant pleaded not guilty when the charges were first read to her, leading to a full trial.

During the proceedings, prosecution counsel, Salihu Sani, called four witnesses and tendered several documentary exhibits, all of which were admitted in evidence to establish the defendant’s guilt. Uzoamaka testified as the sole witness in her defence.

Delivering judgment, Justice Sabo found her guilty on all five counts and sentenced her to seven years’ imprisonment. The court, however, gave her the option of a N500,000 fine.