For breach of trust, Court sentences banker to 6 months in prison

Bello Jimoh, a 52-year-old banker, was on Tuesday sentenced to six months imprisonment, by a Karu Senior Magistrates’ Court for misappropriating  N621,387 in his custody.
The Senior Magistrate, Sharon Ishaya, passed the judgment after the convict pleaded guilty to the two-count-charge of criminal breach of trust and misappropriation filed against him.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Mohammed Garba, told the court that the case was reported at the Garki Police Station by one Hamidu Musa, an employee of M and M Micro finance Bank, Garki, Abuja.

Garba said Jimoh was employed by the bank as a marketing officer and assigned the task of securing depositors’ funds.

The prosecutor stated that the management of the bank on May 9 discovered that the sum of N621,387 was missing from the depositors’ funds.

He said investigation into the matter showed that the convict converted the amount to his personal use without the awareness of the management.

The offence, according to Garba, contravened the provisions of sections 324 and 309 of the Penal Code.

Section 309 states that “whoever commits criminal misappropriation shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with fine or with both.’’

Section 324 stipulates a term of five years for criminal breach of trust with fine or with both.

The convict, who represented himself in court, pleaded guilty to the offences and begged the court for leniency.

“I had to commit the offence because I have an aged parent, wife and children depending on me for survival.

Ishaya however gave Jimoh an option of N20,000 fine and to pay a compensation of N621,387 on or before Aug. 21 to the bank.

She said that if the convict failed to pay the compensation money, he would serve an additional six months in prison. (NAN)

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