The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned two fake aides of former First Lady, Patience Jonathan, identified as Goni Muhammad and Seidu Seriki  Haman, before Justice Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court sitting in Maiduguri.

According to a statement issued and made available to The Star on Thursday by the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, the fake aides of the former First Lady were arraigned on Monday, May 16, 2022, on two-count charges bordering on conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N26,492,000.00 (twenty-six million, four hundred and ninety-two thousand naira).

Uwujaren stated that the defendants allegedly conspired and obtained the above-mentioned sum, under the guise of selling two grams of gold belonging to Patience Jonathan to a buyer.

Count two of the charge read: “That you, Goni Mohammad and Seidu Seriki  Hamman sometimes in January 2020 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, did obtain 2 grams of gold at the rate of N26, 492,000.00 (twenty-six million four hundred and ninety-two thousand naira) allegedly belonging to the wife of the former President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan under the false pretence 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 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty when the two counts were read to them.

The presiding judge, Justice Kumaliya, thereafter, adjourned the matter to May 25 and 26, 2022, for hearing and ordered the remand of the defendants in a Correctional Centre.

Meanwhile, the anti-graft agency, on Thursday, re-arraigned Mamman Alhaji Jalomi before Justice Musa Mustapha of Borno State High Court sitting in Maiduguri on one-count charge bordering on criminal misappropriation to the tune of N693,000.

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According to the EFCC spokesman, the defendant allegedly fraudulently sold 33 bags of beans belonging to one Babagana Abdullahi and diverted the monies to his own personal use.

The one-count amended charge read: “That you Mamman Alhaji Jalomi sometimes in the year 2020 or thereabouts, in Maiduguri Borno State within the Jurisdiction of this Honorable Court dishonestly converted to your own use the sum of six hundred and ninety-three thousand naira (N693,000.00) only being proceeds from the sales of 33 bags of beans at Twenty One Thousand Naira (N21,000.00) each belonging to one Babangida Abdullahi and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 308 and 309 of Penal Code Law Cap 102, Laws of Borno State respectively.”

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him by the EFCC, prompting prosecution counsel, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed, to pray for a trial date.

Justice Mustapha, therefore, adjourned the case to June 9, 2022, for trial and ordered the remand of the defendant at the Maiduguri Medium Security Custodial Centre.

The Star