EFCC Arraigns Three for N8m Fraud
Olaoluwa Folalu
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday arraigned Salisu Adamu, Muhammed Hamma and Muhammed Tukur before Justice M. B. Goje of the Adamawa State High Court, Yola on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy, currency counterfeiting and obtaining by false pretence.
The accused persons, according to Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC spokesperson are alleged to have defrauded Shuaibu Usman to the tune of N8, 000,000 having promised to help him covert the said amount to dollars.
Uwujaren said, the suspects had posed as bureau de change operators.
But instead of fulfilling their part of the deal, they gave Usman fake dollars notes, even after collecting the money from him.
Usman thereafter petitioned the EFCC after all efforts to get his money back from the fraudsters proved abortive.
The syndicates were picked up in Mayo Belwa village in Adamawa State by the EFCC as they attempted to collect additional N2,000,000 from him, on July 22, 2015.
Incriminating materials found on them include, fake dollar and naira notes, charms and two vehicles – Peugeot 406 and Honda Accord cars.
One of the counts against them read: “That you Salisu Adamu, Muhammed Hamma and Muhammed Tukur sometime in July 2015 in Jambutu Yola South Local Government Area of Adamawa State within the jurisdiction of this honorable Court did fraudulently obtain monies the sum of (N8,000.000.00) eight million naira from one Shuaibu Usman under the false pretence that the said amount be exchanged with US dollar notes which you never did.”
The accused persons pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.
In view of the plea of the accused persons, the prosecuting counsel, S. M Aliyu, asked for a trial date, which was not opposed by the defence counsel, A. M. Galaya.
While adjourning the case till September 11, 2015 for hearing of their bail application, Justice Goje ordered that they be remanded in prison custody.