Shari’ah court sentences businesswoman to nine months in prison for cheating

A Shari’a court sitting at Rigasa, Kaduna, on Thursday, sentenced one Maimuna Muhammad, a businesswoman, to nine months’ imprisonment for cheating her business partners.

The Judge, Malam Muhammad Adamu, delivered the judgment after the defendant pleaded guilty to the offences of cheating, breach of trust, and misappropriation of funds.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp. Sambo Maigari stated that the two plaintiffs were business partners with the defendant.

Maigari explained that the defendant typically takes raw foodstuffs, such as rice and beans, on credit and pays back the money later after processing, cooking, and selling the food.

He added that the story was similar for the second plaintiff, who used to give the defendant bedsheets and curtains to increase her profit and sell them, then pay back for the items later.

“Situation later changed and the defendant stopped paying the money, instead, offered excuses and later left her residence at Rigasa and settled at Maraban Jos,” he said.

Delivering judgment, the Judge said the convict would spend three months in jail for each offence or pay a fine of N7,000 for each offence.

“She will refund N350,000 for the rice and beans she collected from Rabi’atu Muhammad and additional N10,000 compensation cost for filing a suit.

“Similarly, the convict will pay N162,000 to the second plaintiff for bedsheets and curtains with an additional N10,000 compensation cost for filling a suit,” Adamu ruled.