EFCC arraigns Dikwa for alleged N414m fraud

Glory Ebomah

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, February 2, 2023, arraigned one Sulaiman Muhammad Dikwa before Justice C.N Nwabulu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Jikwoyi, Abuja.

Dikwa is facing prosecution alongside Green Sahara Farms Limited on a six-count amended charges bordering on criminal breach of trust and fraudulent conversion of N414,000,000 (Four Hundred and Fourteen Million Naira).

One of the counts read, “That you, SULEIMAN MOHAMMED DIKWA and GREEN SAHARA FARMS LIMITED on or about the 5th day of July, 2019 at Abuja within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court being entrusted with the sum of N100,000,000.00 (One Hundred Million Naira) for the purpose of farming and selling agro-allied products within and outside Nigeria by Bima Shelter Limited, dishonestly converted the money to your own use in violation of the discharge of the said trust and thereby committed Criminal Breach of Trust contrary to Section 31 l of the Penal Code and Punishable under Section 312 of the same Code.”

Another count read; “That you, SULEIMAN MOHAMMED DIKWA and GREEN SAHARA FARMS LIMITED on or about the 15th day of November, 2019 at Abuja within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court being entrusted with the sum of N144,000,000.00 (One Hundred and Forty Four Million Naira) for the purpose of farming and selling agro allied products within and outside Nigeria by Bima Shelter Limited dishonestly converted the money to your own use in violation of the discharge of the said trust and thereby committed Criminal Breach of Trust contrary to Section 311 of the Penal Code and Punishable under Section 312 of the same Code.”

The defendants pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges preferred against them.

Prosecution counsel, Usoh Stephanie Abieyuwa prayed the court to remand the defendant at the correctional facility and set a date for trial.

Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said the defence counsel. J.U. Bolori urged the court to grant the defendant bail.

Justice Nwabulu, granted the defendant bail in the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira with two sureties in like sum. One of the surety must be a civil servant and depose an affidavit of means.

The judge adjourned the matter till February 20, 2023, for commencement of trial.