EFCC Arraigns Man for N1.2m Land Fraud in Maiduguri

On Monday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Maiduguri’s Zonal Command arraigned one Mustapha Hamza for N1.2 million land fraud.

The case was presided over by Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court in Maiduguri.

On the premise that he was the owner of a block of land that he had no authority to sell, the defendant allegedly fraudulently enticed one Sayyada Halima Sheik Ibrahim Saleh to deliver to him the aforementioned cash.

“That you, Mustapha Hamza, sometime in 2018 at Maiduguri, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud dishonestly induced Sayyada Halima Sheikh Ibrahim Saleh to deliver to you the sum of N1, 200,000.00 (One Million Two Hundred Thousand Naira) under the guise that the said amount represents payment for the purchase of a purported plot of land No. 85 on BOTP/61 with Grant Right of Occupancy No. BO/4739 located at Shuwari 2 Ward, Maiduguri, Metropolitans Council (MMC) Local Government Area, Borno State which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 320 (a) and punishable under section 322 of the Penal Code Cap 102 Laws of Borno State,” the one-count charge reads.

When the charge was read to him, however, the defendant pleaded ‘not guilty.’

Mukhtar Ali Ahmed, the prosecutor’s lawyer, asked the court for a trial date and to hold the defendant in custody until trial.

Justice Kumaliya postponed the trial until June 14, 2022, and remanded the defendant in detention.

In other news, a Benin court has sentenced four internet fraudsters to prison.

On June 6, 2022, Justice Efe Ikponmwonba of the Edo State High Court in Benin City convicted and jailed four online fraudsters, Osamudiamen Efosa, John Ogbodo, Clinton Amanemiye, and James Collins Oghenetega.

The four were each charged with one count of impersonation and obtaining by false pretense by the EFCC’s Benin Zonal Command.

They were accused of impersonating foreign nationals with the purpose to swindle, which is a state-sanctioned offense.

In addition, the EFCC has arrested a former general manager for allegedly defrauding the government of N16 million.

The EFCC’s Benin Zonal Command arraigned Aikahu Monday Umane, former General Manager of the Edo State Urban Water Board, before Justice Efe Ikponmwonba of the Edo State High Court in Benin City on a count charge of conspiracy and stealing on Monday, June 6, 2022.

Umane is accused of conspiring with Anthony.E. Dakpokpo (now deceased) and Clifford Imasuen (at large) to steal the sum of N16, 338,668.49, which was the balance sum for the rehabilitation/upgrading of the Sabongida – Ora Water Supply Scheme, sometime in 2008.