Orio Business Connect CEO Receives 7-Year Sentence for N33 Million Fraud

In a significant legal development, Alhaji Kabiru Haruna, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Orio Business Connect Limited, has been handed a seven-year prison sentence.

The sentence, delivered on October 4, 2023, followed a conviction secured by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for his involvement in a N33,705,000 fraud case.

Haruna’s legal ordeal began on December 14, 2021, when he was arraigned on eight counts related to obtaining funds under false pretenses.

One of these charges accused him of fraudulently obtaining N6,900,000 from Mr. and Mrs. Clement Anunwa, claiming it was a payment for three plots of land in Abuja. Haruna had falsely represented that the land had been allotted by the Minister of Federal Capital Territory.

Despite initially pleading not guilty, Haruna was found guilty on multiple counts during the trial. As a result, Justice H. Mu’azu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja, sentenced him to seven years in prison.

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Furthermore, the court ordered Haruna and Orio Business Connect Limited to jointly pay N33,705,000, which represented the proceeds of the fraudulent activity, to the nominal complainant. The case stemmed from a complaint filed by Dr. Oby Joyce and Chief Clement Anuwa, who reported that Haruna had failed to deliver the promised land or refund their money, leading to the legal proceedings that culminated in his conviction.

Source: EFCC Nigeria X-handle @officialEFCC