The Maiduguri Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, July 25, 2020 arraigned one Bulama Abu Mohammed, the Ward Head of Bolori, Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) before Justice Umaru Fadawu of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri on nine-count charges, bordering on forgery, obtaining money under false pretences and cheating to the tune of N2, 400,000.00 (Two Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira only).
Mohammed’s journey to the dock started when the EFCC received a petition against him from one Mrs. Yemi Ibukun Oluwafemi, alleging that he fraudulently sold five plots of land to her.
Investigation revealed that all the papers of the land, handed over to Oluwafemi, by the defendant were forged and did not emanate from the original,and government- approved owner of the said lands, who is one Mariyu Abba Aji.
Count one of the charge read: “That you, Bulama Abu Mohammed, sometime in July, 2019 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N1,050,000.00 (One Million Fifty Thousand Naira) only from Mrs. Yemi Ibuku Oluwafemi through her lawyer one Babagana Alhaji Modu Esq. (now deceased) vide cash payment under the false pretence of selling to the said Mrs. Yemi Ibuku Oluwafemi, two (2) plots of lands, purportedly belonging to Mariyu Abba Aji, situated at Shuwari Durmari of Bolori District, Maiduguri, Borno State which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) 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 the charges, prompting prosecution counsel, Benjamin Lawal Manji to pray the court for a trial date and for the remand of the defendant in the Nigeria Correctional Service.
Justice Fadawu adjourned the matter till July, 23, 2020 for commencement of trial and ordered for the remand of the defendant in the Maiduguri Minimum Correctional Service.
