By Inusa Ndahi, Maiduguri
The Maiduguri zonal command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, July 18, 2024, arraigned one Mohammad Idris before Justice Umaru Fadawu of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri, on one count charge of obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N1 million only.
The charge reads, “That you, Mohammed Idris, sometime in July, 2019 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud, obtained the aggregate sum of N1 million from one Nura Bello as purchase price for mercury chemicals, which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Consequently, prosecution counsel, A. I Arogha, S. O Saka, V.O Ekenam and A.A Ayenshola asked the court for a trial date and requested that the accused be remanded in prison custody.
Justice Fadawu remanded the defendant in prison and adjourned the matter till July 27, 2023, for trial.
In a related development, one Muhammad Abubakar was arraigned before Justice Fadawu on a one count amended charge of obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N795,000.
The charge reads, “That you, Muhammad Abubakar, on or about 12 day of March, 2022, in Maiduguri within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud, obtained N795,000 by false pretence from Daniel Ibrahim, under the pretence that you will assist him secure a job in the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, the pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(1)a of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him by the EFCC.
Prosecution counsel, Ahmedu I. Arogha, who appeared alongside S. O Saka, V.O Ekenam and A.A Ayenshola, asked the court to remand the defendant and fix a date for trial.
Justice Fadawu thereafter remanded the defendant in prison and adjourned till July 31, 2023 for trial.
