EFCC arraigns man for N23.8m contracts scam

…Two others for N2.9m Get-Rich-Quick Scam in Maiduguri

Etim Ekpimah

The Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, September 21, 2021, arraigned one David Asigbe Irumekhai before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri, on three separate charges bordering on obtaining by false pretence and cheating to the tune of N23, 870,000.00 (Twenty-Three Million, Eight Hundred and Seventy Thousand Naira).

In the first charge, Irumekhai was docked for N5 Million fraud. He was alleged to have obtained the money on the pretext of executing a purported contract awarded by Terres Des Hummes, a Non-Governmental Organization, and converted the money to personal use.

In the second charge, he allegedly defrauded one Mada Dzarma Gadzama of the sum of N17,470, 000.00 (Seventeen Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand Naira) under the guise of executing a purported contract awarded to him by Terres Des Hummes.

Furthermore, Irumekhai was arraigned on one count of cheating to the tune of N1, 400,000.00 (One Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira). The defendant approached one Rilwan Olalekan Rabiu to fund a supply contract awarded to him.

This was contained in a statement signed by Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, on Wednesday, September 21, 2021.

Rabiu transferred the sum of N1.4million to the defendant’s Access Bank account but the defendant rather than use the money for the purpose intended, transferred N1,363,000.00 (One Million, Three Hundred and Sixty-Three Thousand Naira) of the money to one Joshua Dem Barka with instruction to fund his sports betting account.

 The first charge  reads: “That you, David Asigbe Irumekhai whilst being Chief Executive Officer of Sky Source Global Concept sometime between February 2021 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud did obtain N 5,000,000.00 (Five Million Naira) from Mohammed Kolere under the false pretence of executing a purported contract awarded to Sky Source Global Concept by  Terres Des Hommes, an NGO which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(1) 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 all the three separate charges.

Prosecution counsel, Fatsuma Muhammad and Mukhtar Ali Ahmed asked the court for trial dates and to remand the defendant in the correctional facility pending the determination of the case.

Justice Kumaliya adjourned the matter till October 11and 13, 2021 for commencement of trial and remanded the defendant in prison.

In another development, the duo of Abubakar Mustapha Bakura and Mallam Suwun Ayu was arraigned before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri on a two-count charge of criminal misappropriation to the tune of N2,947,000.00 (Two Million, Nine Hundred and Forty- Seven Thousand Naira).

Bakura allegedly stole the sum from his boss but the second defendant, Mallam Ayu Sugum, in turn, collected the money from him on the pretext that he would make him (Bakura) rich within two weeks.

Count one of the charge read:  “That you, Abubakar Mustapha Bakura, sometime in November 2020 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, being entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit; N2,947,000.00  (Two Million Nine Hundred and Forty-Seven Thousand Naira) by Sadi Garba being payment for the goods he supplied one Abdullahi Alhaji and Yamodu did dishonestly misappropriates the entire sum of N2, 947,000.00 (Two Million Nine Hundred and Forty- Seven naira) and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 311 of the penal code Cap. 102 Laws of Borno State of Nigeria and punishable under Section 312 of the same Law.”

Count two reads: “That you, Mallam Suwun Ayu, sometimes in November at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, with intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of N1,700,000.00 (one million seven hundred thousand naira) from Abubakar Mustapha Bakura under the false presence of representing yourself as possessing the power of the invocation of invisible entity capable of increasing or doubling the money, which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 2(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and Punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

The defendants pleaded ‘not guilty to the charges preferred against them.

Prosecution counsel, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed asked the court to remand the defendants in the correctional centre and fix a date for trial to commence. Justice Kumaliya adjourned the case until October 18, 2021, for hearing and ordered the remand of the defendants.