The Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday arraigned one Mohammed Bukar Gote before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the State High Court, Maiduguri, on a one-count charge of criminal breach of trust and cheating to the tune of N9,685,650 million.
The defendant allegedly obtained the sum from the victim for the execution of a food supply contract by World Food Program (WFP) and Premier Urgent International. He had promised to pay back once the contract was executed but reneged on the promise.
The charge reads: ‘‘That you Mohammed Bukar Gote between February and May, 2021 in Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court dishonesty converted to your own use food items worth the cumulative sum of Nine Million Six Hundred and Eighty-Five Thousand Six Hundred and Fifty Naira (N9, 685, 650.00) belonging to Abubakar Goni Bukar and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of Penal Code Law Cap 102, Laws of Borno State 1994 and Punishable under Section 309 of the same Law.’’
The defendant pleaded not ‘guilty’ when the charge was read to him.
Upon his plea, prosecution counsel, Fatsuma Mohammed asked the court for a trial date and to remand the defendant pending the determination of the case.
The defendant was remanded in the Correctional Centre, while Justice Kumaliya adjourned the matter till January 11, 2022, for commencement of trial and hearing.
In a related development, one Ayuba Musa was also arraigned today before Justice Kumaliya on a two-count charge for obtaining N2 million under false pretence.
The defendant fraudulently collected the sum from the nominal complainant on the pretext that he would multiply the N2 million to N200 million using spiritual powers.
Count two of the charge reads: ‘‘That you Ayuba Musa, Abubakar Haruna (now at large) and Salisu Muhammad (now at large) sometime in July, 2021 in Maiduguri, Borno State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud represented yourselves to Sanusi Usman Bakondi as possessing the power to increase the sum of Two Million Naira (N2, 000, 000.00) to Two Hundred Million Naira (N200, 000, 000.00) through invisible entity and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 2(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 2(c) of the same Act.’’
He pleaded not ‘guilty’ when the charges were read to him.
In view of his plea, prosecution counsel, Fastuma Mohammed asked the court for a trial date, and remand the defendant in the Correctional Facility.
Justice Kumaliya adjourned the matter till January 12, 2022, for hearing and commencement of trial.
She ordered that the defendant be remanded in the Correctional Centre.
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