EFCC arraigns five for N25m fraud in Maiduguri

Stanley Ihedigbo

Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),  arraigned Hamza Dauda Umar, Abdulrahman Goni, and Abdulmutalib Abdullahi before Justice Muhammad Maina of the Borno State High Court, sitting in Maiduguri, for fraud.

According to the Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Mr. Dele Oyewale, the trio were docked on a twelve-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, using forged documents as genuine, false information and forgery to the tune of N3,300,000.00.

Count five of the charge reads: “That you, Hamza Dauda Umar, Abdulrahman Goni, and Abdulmutalib Abdullahi and Bashir Dawud (now at large) on or about December, 2023 in Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did agree amongst yourselves to do an illegal act, to wit: mischief and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 59 and 60 of the Borno State Penal Code Law and other matters connected therewith (No. 3 Vol. 48 Law 2023) respectively.”

The Defendants pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges when they were read to them, prompting prosecution counsel, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed, S.O Saka and Faruk Muhammad to pray the court to fix a trial date.

Justice Maina thereafter, adjourned the matter till September 25, 2024, for trial and remanded the defendants in Maiduguri  Correctional Centre.

In another development, Justice Muhammad Maina of the Borno State High Court, sitting in Maiduguri has remanded Ahmed Saleh Mubi and Goni Bukar Ali in Maiduguri  Correctional Centre.

The Defendants were arraigned on Thursday,  September 19,  2024, by the Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a one- count separate charges for criminal misappropriation to the tune of N21,961,200.

The charge against Mubi reads: “That you Ahmed Saleh Mubi, between December, 2019 to March 2020 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, offered to sell CFA 45,000.00 to one Abdulkarim Mohammed Saleh at the cost of N20,975,200.00 and you also collected 14 Motorcycles valued at N324,000.00 from the said Abdulkarim Mohammed Saleh for you to sell and remit the proceed to him, did dishonestly misappropriate the sum of N19,691,200 and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Penal Code Cap.102 Laws of Borno State of Nigeria and Punishable under Section 309 of the same Law .”

The count against Ali reads: “That you Goni Bukar Ali, between 2015 to 2018 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, being entrusted with certain property to wit: N2,270,000.00  belonging to one Modu Kime, as his Investment in the business of buying and selling of grains and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 311 and punishable under section 312 of the Penal Code Cap. 102 Laws of Borno State of Nigeria and Punishable under Section 309 of the same Law.”

The defendants pleaded “not guilty” to their separate changes when they were read to them and  prosecution counsel, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed, S.O Saka and Faruk Muhammad prayed  the court for trial date.

Justice Maina, afterwards adjourned the matter till September 25, 2024, for trial and remanded the defendants in Maiduguri Correctional Centre.

Also operatives of the Abuja Zonal Directorate of the commission, arrested 29 suspected internet fraudsters.

They were arrested at several locations in the Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT following credible intelligence about their suspected involvement in internet fraud.

32 phones of different types were recovered  from them.

The suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.