Maiduguri court jails two for N 12.5m fraud

Glory Ebomah

The Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, October 5, 2023, secured the conviction and sentencing of two fraudsters:  Mohammed Idris and Ibrahim Suleiman Magaji to eight years imprisonment for obtaining money under false pretences.

Idris was arraigned before Justice Umaru Fadawu of the Borno State High Court on one-count charge bordering on obtaining under false pretence to the tune of N1,000,000.00 (One Million Naira Only), while Magaji was arraigned on one-count charge bordering on criminal misappropriation to the tune of N11, 500, 000.00 (Eleven Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira).

The charge against Idris reads: “That you, Mohammad 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, 000,000.00 (One Million Naira) from Nura Bello as a 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 charge against Magaji reads: “That you, Ibrahim Suleiman Magaji, on or about August 2021 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court dishonestly misappropriated and converted for your own use the aggregate sum of N11,500,000.00  (Eleven Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira), belonging to Umara Bukar under the guise that you will use the said money to purchase and supply 24 tons of Hibiscus flower (Zobo) to him and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 308 and 309 of the Penal Code Law of Borno State (Cap. 102 Vol. 3 of 1994) respectively.”

While Idris pleaded “not guilty” to the charge preferred against him, Magaji changed his initial “not guilty” to “guilty” in the course of the trial.   Prosecution counsel, S.K Saka, in the trial of Idris, presented five witnesses and tendered nine documents as evidence.  Justice Fadawu, in his judgment, found him guilty, convicted and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment.

The court further ordered him to pay his victim the sum of N1m and in default, serve an additional three years.

Magaji was initially tried by EFCC counsels:  Mukhtar Ali Ahmed, S.O Saka and F. Muhammad and presented three witnesses and tendered several documents as evidence. His counsel, M. Ibrahim, however, prayed the court later to allow the defendant to change his plea. Magaji   pleaded guilty to the charge and Justice Fadawu thereafter convicted and sentenced him to one year imprisonment without an option of fine. The Judge further ordered the convict to pay the balance of N8m to his victim or serve three years jail term.

The two convicts began their journeys to the Correctional Centre when they fraudulently collected a total sum of N12.5million from their victims under false pretences.  When it became obvious to their victims that they had been duped, none of the convicts returned the funds to the victims.

In another development, Babagana Mustapha was arraigned before Justice Umaru Fadawu of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri on two-point charges bordering on criminal misappropriation to the tune of N 7,830,000.00 (Seven Million Eight and Thirty Thousand Naira only).

Count one of the charge reads: “That you Babagana Mustapha on or about July, 2021 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly misappropriated and converted for your own use the aggregate sum of N5, 880,000.00 (Five million, Eight Hundred and Eighty Thousand) belonging to one Abubakar Awaji under the guise that the said money is an investment into your business and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 308 and 309 of the Penal Code Laws of Borno State Cap. 102. Vol. 3 of 1994 respectively.”

The defendant pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charge prepared against him.

Counsels for the prosecution, S.O, Saka and F. Muhammad prayed the court for a trial date and remand of the defendant at the Correctional Centre.

Justice Fadawu remanded the defendant at the EFCC’s custody and adjourned the matter till October 10, 2023 for commencement of trial