THE Maiduguri Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday secured the conviction of one Alhaji Gaji Goni Bukar whom Justice Umaru Fadawu of the Borno State High Court slammed two years imprisonment for criminal conspiracy and obtaining the sum N1, 250,000.
The convict was first arraigned on Tuesday alongside Habu Aji on a two-counts bordering on conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence.
At the resumed hearing, Goni pleaded guilty of conspiracy, prompting Justice Fadawu to convict and sentence him as charged.
The convict’s plea for leniency earned him N200, 000 option of fine.
In another development, the Maiduguri Zonal Office of the Commission,also arraigned Aisha Alkali Wakil popularly known as Mama Boko Haram alongside Tahiru Alhaji Saidu Daura, Price Lawal Shoyade and Mallam Adamu Sani before Justice Jude Dagat of the Federal High Court, Maiduguri on a-two count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N42, 000,000.
Count two reads: “That you, Aisha Alkali Wakil, Tahiru Alhaji Saidu Daura, Prince Lawal Shoyade whilst being chief executive officer, programme manager and country director respectively of Complete Care and Aid Foundation (non-governmental organisation) and Sani Mallam Adamu of Sani Smart Global Ventures sometime between 23rd October, 2018 and 5th November, 2018 in Maiduguri, Borno State, within the Jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud, induced one Bukar Kachallah of Abks Ventures Nig. Ltd to deliver to you N42,000,000.00 (Forty-two Million Naira)only under the false pretence of executing a contract for supply of beans which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(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 upon which prosecution counsel, Abubakar Umar Ringim prayed the court for a trial date and to remand of the defendants in the Nigerian Correctional Service, pending trial.
Justice Dagat adjourned the matter to February 27, 2020 for hearing of the bail applications and ordered that the defendants be remanded in the custody of Nigerian Correctional Service.
