A Kaduna High Court in Kaduna State on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, sentenced businessman Gbotemi Adebiyi to eight years in prison for obtaining N29 million under false pretence and issuing a dishonoured cheque to repay the funds.
Justice Amina Shuaibu delivered the judgment after Adebiyi pleaded guilty to a two-count charge brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kaduna Zonal Directorate, over allegations of fraud and financial deception.
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The ruling marked a significant step in the Kaduna businessman jailed case, as the court found that the prosecution had established the offences beyond reasonable doubt.
Justice Shuaibu said Adebiyi misled the complainant, Fredrick James, into releasing the money and later attempted to reinforce the deception by providing a cheque that could not be honoured.
“It is obvious that the defendant deceived the complainant into parting with the money under false pretence and further attempted to deceive him by issuing a dud cheque,” the judge said.
The court ruled that Adebiyi converted the funds for personal use with the intention of permanently depriving the complainant of the money.
Justice Shuaibu sentenced the businessman to three years’ imprisonment on the first count and five years on the second count.
The sentences will run consecutively, resulting in a total of eight years behind bars without an option of fine.
The judge also ordered Adebiyi to repay the N29 million to James within 30 days. Failure to comply with the restitution order will attract an additional two-year prison term.
Earlier during proceedings, EFCC prosecutor E.K. Garba told the court that Adebiyi received a N29 million loan from James and issued a post-dated Zenith Bank cheque as repayment.
Garba explained that the cheque was later presented for payment but was rejected because there were insufficient funds in Adebiyi’s account.
The prosecutor said the actions violated relevant provisions of the Kaduna State Penal Code, 2017, which address obtaining money through false pretence and related financial offences.
In mitigation, defence counsel J.S. Nathan appealed for leniency, describing Adebiyi as a first-time offender who had expressed regret over his actions.
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The case highlights continued efforts by Nigerian law enforcement agencies and the courts to address financial crimes and strengthen accountability in commercial transactions.
Mariam Balogun is a contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
