The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday arraigned one Ali Mohammed before Justice Mohammed Maina of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri, over allegations involving a ₦9 million fraud.
The defendant is facing a two-count charge filed by the EFCC’s Maiduguri Zonal Directorate, bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and criminal misappropriation.
The charges relate to a transaction in September 2022, in which Mohammed allegedly received ₦9 million from one Nuhu Alfa.
The money, prosecutors claimed, was paid into a First Bank account bearing the name Ali Bako, under the guise that it would be invested in the purchase and supply of petroleum products.
One of the charges presented in court read: “That you, Ali Mohammed, on or about September 2022 in Maiduguri, Borno State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of ₦9,000,000.00 from Nuhu Alfa… under the false pretence that same is meant for an investment into the business of purchase and supply of petroleum products, a representation which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.”
Mohammed pleaded not guilty to both charges.
Following the plea, the prosecution counsel, S.O. Saka, applied for a date to commence trial and requested that the defendant be remanded in custody. Granting the application, Justice Maina ordered Mohammed’s remand at the Maiduguri Correctional Centre and adjourned the case to Wednesday, 24 September, for trial.
