Nursing mother jailed over N.9m fraud

BY CALEB AYANSINA

ABUJA – Mother of a two-month-old baby was yesterday sentenced to 60 days imprisonment by an Abuja magistrate court for collecting under false pretence N978, 000 from one Asogwa Festus.

She was, however, given an option of N10,000 fine, and asked to refund money to the owner.

The convict, Mrs. Philomena Iruobe of Kuje area council, old NEPA road, Abuja, was alleged to have collected N1.4m from the complainant, Asogwa Festus, as daily contribution between 2009 and 2010, but instead of remitting the money to his bank account, she converted it to her personal use.

Police Prosecutor, Ibeto Patrick, told the court that the complainant reported the matter to the police on May 12, 2011, that the accused introduced herself as a staff of Oceanic Life Assurance Ltd, Abuja.

He added that since November 3, 2009, he had been giving the convict N4,000 to pay into his account, adding that she diverted the money.

The prosecutor said:  “That on 3 / 11 / 09, you did come to him with a pretence of collecting N4,000 daily contribution for one year and having contributed N1.464 million only on trust to you, you did not pay it into his account in the bank”.