The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned one Usman Abubakar before the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja on a five-count charge allegedly bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and stealing to the tune of N950 million fraud.

Abubakar was arraigned alongside his foundation, Young Alhaji Foundation, before Justice Mojisola Dada on Wednesday.

One of the counts read: “Alhaji Usman Abubakar, Young Alhaji Foundation and Dr. Abu Omer Fawzi (at large) sometime in September 2022, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to obtain the sum of N950, 000,000 from Ano Farms Limited under the false pretence that you had the Dollar equivalent of the said sum, which pretence you knew to be false.”

Another count read: “Alhaji Usman Abubakar and Young Alhaji Foundation,  on the 20th of September 2022, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, attempted to dishonestly convert the sum of N180,000,000.00 (One Hundred and Eighty Million Naira), property of Ano Farms Limited to the use of Abdullahi Mohammed.”

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The defendant, however, pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.

The prosecuting counsel, Bilikisu Buhari, prayed the court for a trial date to enable the prosecution call its witnesses and tender relevant documents to prove the case against the defendants.

“We also pray the court to remand the defendant at the Nigerian Correctional Facility,  pending the trial date,” she added.

Counsel for the defendants, Olatubosun Olanipekun, SAN, in response, informed the court that the defence “only got to know of the date for arraignment yesterday”.

He, however, pleaded with the court to remand the defendant at the EFCC custody, pending the hearing of the defendant’s bail application.

An attempt to make an oral application for bail was dismissed by the court, as the trial judge held that “this court is a court of records”.

The bail application was, thereafter, served on the prosecution in the open court.

Justice Dada, therefore, adjourned till Wednesday, March 1, 2023, for hearing of the bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded in the EFCC custody till hearing of his bail application.

The Star