Court jails Mama Boko Haram, 3 others over N15m fraud

The Borno State High Court has sentenced Aisha Alkali Wakil, well known as Mama Boko Haram, alongside Tahiru Alhaji, Saidu Daura, and Prince Lawal Shoyode, to seven years imprisonment each for the offences of conspiracy and another seven years for obtaining money by false pretences

Justice Aisha Kumaliya sentenced them on Thursday.

Before their conviction, the defendants were first arraigned on September 14, 2020, before Justice Kumaliya on two count charges for the offences of conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N15 million preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Count two of the charge read: “That you, Aisha Alkali Wakil, Tahiru Alhaji Saidu Daura, Prince Lawal Shoyode Whilst being Chief Executive Officer, Program Manager and Country Director respectively of Complete Care and Aid Foundation (Non-Governmental Organization) and SAIDU MUKTAR (at large) sometimes in November, 2018 at Maiduguri,  Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N15,000,000.00 (Fifteen Million Naira) only from one Honourable Bukar Kachalla of Hammiza Global Resources Limited under the false pretence of executing a purported contract of supply of 3 units of Chemistry Analyzer Solar Energy Brand Model 1800 (UK Version),  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.”

READ ALSO: EFCC arrests 95 suspected internet fraudsters in Warri

The defendants pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, prompting prosecution counsel,  Mukhtar Ali Ahmed, to present six witnesses and tendered several documents as exhibits before the court and thereafter closed his case on October 27, 2020.

Delivering judgement, Justice Kumaliya found the defendants guilty on all the two count charges and sentenced them to seven years imprisonment each without an option of fine for the offence of conspiracy.

The judge further sentenced them to another seven years imprisonment without an option of fine each for the offence of obtaining money by false pretence.

He ordered the convicts to jointly restitute the sum of N15 million to their victim, in default of which they are to serve additional five years prison term.

Justice Kumaliya had, on June 15, convicted and sentenced Mama Boko Haram to five years,  on two-count charges of conspiracy and obtaining over N71 million by false pretence.

The Star