By Olukayode Idowu, Maiduguri
The
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday arraigned Aisha Wakil
(popularly called Mama Boko Haram) alongside two others on the eighth charge of
fraud.
This makes her and co-travelers having
cases of fraud before the three judges.
The two other arraigned with her before Justice Umaru Fadawu of the Borno State
High Court, Maiduguri, are senior members of her Non Governmental Organisation,
Complete Care and Aid Foundation, Alhaji Saidu Daura and Prince Lawal Shoyode
on a four-count charge bordering on fraud.
Just early this week the trio with another person now at large were charged
before Justice Aisha Kumaliya’s Borno State High Court, arraigned in a fraud
case of N111.7 million.
Sometimes, early this year Wakil (Mama Boko Haram),Daura, Shoyode and Mallam
Adamu Sani, now at large were arraigned for a N42million fraud, before Justice
Jude Dagat of a Federal High Court, Maiduguri, while Wakil and Daura are facing
corruption charges involving a N66million fraud before Justice Aisha Kumaliya
of a Borno State High Court.
In today’s trial, The first two-count charge read: “That you, Aisha Alkali
Wakil, Tahiru Alhaji Saidu Daura and Prince Lawal Shoyode, whilst being the
Chief Executive Officer, Programme Manager and Country Director respectively of
Complete Care and Aid Foundation, (a Non-Governmental Organisation) and Saidu
Mukhtar (at large) sometime in Maiduguri, Borno State within the Jurisdiction
of this Honourable Court did with intent to defraud obtained the sum of Twenty
Five Million Naira (N25,000,000.00) from one Adam Mustapha Mohammed, the Chief
Executive Officer of Kauram Global Enterprises under the false pretence of
executing a purported contract for the supply of Seven (7) X-ray machines Model
1600 with Solar Energy Brand, 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.”
They were also arraigned on another separate two-count charge involving an
alleged N40million fraud, which counts were read: “That you, Aisha Alkali
Wakil, Tahiru Alhaji Saidu Daura and Prince Lawal Shoyade whilst being the
Chief Executive Officer, Programme Manager and Country Director respectively of
Complete Care and Aid Foundation, (a Non-Governmental Organisation) and Saidu
Mukhtar (At large) sometime in Maiduguri, Borno State within the Jurisdiction
of this Honourable Court did with intent to defraud obtained the sum of Twenty
Forty Million Naira (N40,000,000.00) from one Bashir Abubakar, the Chief Executive
Officer of Duty Free Shop Ltd under the false pretence of executing a purported
contract for the supply of Five (5) X-ray Machines 1900 with Solar Energy 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.”
While Wakil pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges, the second and third
defendants refused to take their pleas.
Justice Fadawu, however, entered a “not
guilty” plea for the two defendants.
In view of the pleas, counsel for the EFCC,
Fatsuma Muhammad asked for a trial date in order for the prosecution to prove
its case against them.
Muhammad said: “We pray the court to remand the defendants in the Nigerian
Correctional Service pending the determination of the case.”
Justice Fadawu, thereafter, adjourned until March 12 and 16, 2020 for
commencement of trial and ordered that they should be remanded in the Nigerian
Correctional service
