HUSSAINI Abubakar, a former official of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been convicted and sentenced on a three-count charge bordering on stealing to one-year imprisonment.

Tony Orilade, acting, Head, Media and Publicity of EFCC, who disclosed this on Thursday in a statement explained that Abubakar was convicted by  Justice S.C Amadi of the Rivers State High Court the option of N150, 000 fine.

Orilade said his offence was  contrary to Section 383 (1) and punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Code CAP 37 vol. II Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999.

He was found guilty of stealing of an exhibit from the Forensic Section of the Commission.

Count One of the charges reads: “That you, Hussaina Abubakar, in 2017 at Port Harcourt in the Port Harcourt Judicial Division did fraudulently steal an exhibit from the Forensic Section of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC…

“…An exhibit which you knew was recovered in the course of investigation to wit: One Lenevo S60-A (dual sim) with serial number: HBOGOHAQ with IME slot number: 1-866059026043140, worth N18,000, belonging to one Chuku Nelson Nyegam and thereby committed an offence.”

Abubakar pleaded guilty to all the charges, prompting prosecuting counsel, N. A. Dodo to urge the court to convict and sentence him accordingly.

However, defence counsel M. M Suleiman prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, having been found to be a first time offender and with no previous conviction record.

He also prayed the court, to take into consideration, the state of a defendant — an orphan, married and a father of a 15-months baby and a breadwinner for his family.