Glory Ebomah
The Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on October 23, 2023, arraigned Abdullahi Haladu and Kabiru Liman (at large), before Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court, for allegedly defrauding Malam Sani Isyak the sum of, N1, 550,000 (One Million, Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira only), in a land matter.
The two defendants were arraigned on three counts of amended charges bordering on conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence.
One of the counts read: “That you, Abdullahi Haladu (m) and Kabiru Liman, on or about April 2021 at Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, intent to defraud, with intent to defraud, conspired among yourselves to do an illegal act, to fraudulently obtain the sum of N1,550,000.00 (One Million, Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) from one Malam Sani Isyak, when you falsely represented yourself as the owners of a plot of land measuring 105×45 FADI, at Mangoron Agwai Sabon Gari Malali, and had the authority to sell same, which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act”.
Head, Media & Publicity, EFCC, Dele Oyewale, said the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him, prompting the Prosecuting Counsel, M. Lawal to ask for a trial date. He also prayed that the defendant be remanded at the Kaduna Correctional Centre.
Meanwhile, defence counsel, Charles Ojijiemeh, made an oral application for bail. Lawal objected to it, arguing that the suspect had earlier jumped an administrative bail offered him by the Commission. He also demanded that Ojijiemeh be compelled to file a formal application for bail.
Justice Khobo, after listening to their arguments, adjourned the matter till October 30, 2023, for a hearing of bail application, and ordered the remand of the suspect in Kaduna Correctional Centre. Haladu’s trouble started when he was arrested by operatives of the Kaduna Zonal Command of the EFCC, for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N1,550,000 from a petitioner.
The payment was made in respect of a plot of land. He neither offered the land to the petitioner nor returned his money to him.