Convicted Lawyer Losses Appeal

BY AMOS TAUNA, KADUNA – A Kano-based legal practitioner, Yakubu Muhammed Na’Allah, who was convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment by the Federal High Court, Kano, for cheating his client, has lost an appeal challenging his conviction.

Justice Uwani Musa Abba Aji of the Court of Appeal, Kaduna on Monday held that the issue of crime does not give any class of people or professional a covering or veil.

“Although the appellant was the lawyer to the victim of the offence, it nevertheless cannot exclude the lawyer from committing crime under the Money Laundering Act. Thus, the issue of lawyer-client relationship does not, at all, have a bearing in this matter. There is no doubting that this has been the position of the law and is so settled,” the appellate Court held.

It further held that Yakubu, “Who was a lawyer to one Alhaji Ali Durumin Shura, collected 90 million Naira but refused to give him back all the amount and converted same to buy a house situated at NNDC Road, Sharada quarters, Kano. “The appellant has however led what l call flimsy and weak evidence that the money was meant to be his professional fees, yet could not tender any bill of charges.”

Also, the appellate Court affirmed the judgment of the trial Court which ordered that the house situated at NNDC Road, Sharada quarters, Kano be forfeited to the Federal Republic of Nigeria to hold in trust.

The Federal Government had on December 18, 2012, through the EFCC, instituted a case against the lawyer, stating; “That you, Yakubu Muhammed Na’Allah on or about March 17, 2008 in Kano within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, did transfer the sum of 45 million Naira to the Bank account of Bennas Nigeria Ltd No. 01960010000300 domiciled at Intercontinental Bank PLC with the aim of concealing the illicit origin of the said resources being proceed of an illicit act, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 14 (1) (a) of the Money Laundering (prohibition) Act, 2004.”

In count two; “That you, Yakubu Muhammed Na’Allah, on or about March 17, 2008 in Kano within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, did transfer the sum of five million naira to Alhaji Mohammed Bello Tukur with the aim of concealing the illicit act, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 14 (1) (a) of the Money Laundering (prohibition) Act, 2004.”

Yakubu Na’Allah, who was a lawyer to one Alhaji Ali Durumin Shura, is reported to have collected the sum of 90 million Naira on behalf of Alhaji Ali Durumin Shura but refused to hand over the amount until he was petitioned to the law enforcement agency. At the trial, in which Yakubu pleaded not guilty, the EFCC called seven witnesses to prove its case against the embattled lawyer.

Justice Fatu Riman of the Federal High Court, Kano had, on November 16, 2016, convicted and sentenced the lawyer to two years imprisonment for the offence of money laundering.