The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Thursday, arraigned one Mohammed Bukar, popularly known as Gausu, before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, sitting in Maiduguri on a one count charge of obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N19 million.

The defendant was alleged to have fraudulently collected the sum from Ba’ana Modu Buraye for the execution of purported contract awarded to him by Norwegian Refugee Council for the supply of water pumps.

The count read: “That you Mohammed Bukar (Gausu) sometime in August, 2021 in Maiduguri Borno State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court fraudulently induced one Ba’ana Modu Buraye to cause the gross sum of Nineteen Million Naira (N19, 000,000.00) only to be delivered to you via MUB Guzamala Enterprises Bank account No. 0003811629 domiciled in Jaiz Bank Plc. under false pretence that you were to use the said sum for the execution of a purported contract awarded to you by Norwegian Refugee Council, a Non-Governmental Organisation for the supply of water pump which fact you knew to be false and thereby an offence contrary to and punishable under sections 1(1) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2016.”

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

The prosecution counsel, Haruna Albulkadir, asked for a trial date and the remand of the defendant in prison custody.

The presiding judge, Justice Kumaliya, therefore, ordered the remand of the defendant in prison custody and adjourned the case till May 19, 2022.

In a related development, one Adamu Ibrahim was arraigned on Thursday before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court on a one count charge of obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N3 million.

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The count read: “That you, Adamu Ibrahim sometime in March 2020 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N3,000,000.00 (Three Million Naira) from Abubakar Bashir under the false pretence that the said amount represent payment for the purchase of a purported plot of land measuring 50ft by 100ft laying and situated at Shuwari II, behind Innobative Secondary School, Konduga Local Government Area, Borno State which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2016 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.”

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the one-count charge.

Counsel for the prosecution, Haruna Abdulkadir, applied for a trial date and prayed the defendant be remand the defendant in prison custody.

Justice Kumaliya, however, ordered the remand of the defendant in prison custody and adjourned the case till May 16, 2022.

The Star