By Ejike Ejike |
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned one Modu Ali Kotoko before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri, on one-count charge of obtaining money by false pretense to the tune of N20,000,000.00.
EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren said, “The defendant allegedly collected the sum from one Abubakar Girgiri on the pretext of financing the purchase of cars on sale by auction”.
“The victim had transferred the money before he discovered that the so-called auction was a hoax.”
The charge reads: “That you, Modu Ali Kotoko had sometimes in December, 2019 in Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N20,000,000.00 from Mohammed Abubakar Girgiri, which you falsely claimed the money will be used to finance the auction of cars, a claim 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 defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him.
In view of the plea, the prosecution counsel, Fatsuma Mohammed asked the court for a trial date and, to remand the defendant pending the determination of the case.
However, counsel to the defendant, Abdulwasiu Alfa pleaded with the court for a short date to file a bail application.
Justice Kumaliya adjourned the matter till February 3 and 9, 2021 for the commencement of trial.
In a related development, the EFCC Kano zonal office also arraigned one Andrew Oshome before Justice Shuaibu B. Shuaibu of the Kebbi State High Court sitting in Birnin Kebbi on one-count charge of misappropriation to the tune of N44,800,000.
The defendant was arrested by operatives of the commission following a petition by Farmers Association of Nigeria (FAN), Kebbi State chapter, alleging that sometimes in 2011, he diverted the sum N44,800,000 which they contributed to acquire tractors through Kebbi State Agricultural Development Authority (KARDA) and food security development of the federal ministry of agriculture.
Uwujaren also explained that investigation revealed that the defendant fixed the farmers’ money in a fixed deposit account and used the same to purchase a vessel.
