The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Maiduguri Zonal Command on Wednesday arraigned one Tope Jimi Fagun before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri on a two-count charge of impersonation and obtaining N70 million by false pretence.

The defendant allegedly presented himself as Pastor Ize Iyamu to Alhaji Bukar Dalori and fraudulently induced him to deliver the said sum under the pretext that the money was meant to aid the All Progressives Congress (APC) 2020 gubernatorial election campaign in Edo State.

Count one reads: “That you, Tope Jimi Fagun sometimes between July and August, 2020 in Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court and with intent to defraud induced the Borno State Chairman of APC, one Alhaji Ali Bukar Dalori to cause the gross sum of N70 million (both in Naira and Dollar currencies) to be delivered to you in cash and via bank transfers into Access Bank account number 0693630685 and First Bank account number 3053942408 under the false pretence that the said sum was to be utilized in promoting the APC campaign activities in the Edo State 2020 gubernatorial election which fact you knew to be false, thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under sections 1(1)(b) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 respectively.”

The defendant pleaded ‘not guilty’ when the charges were read to him.

Prosecution counsel, Alqasim Jafa’ar, asked the court to remand the defendant in prison and fix a date for trial to commence.

Counsel for the defendant, Alli Apanisile, however informed the court of a pending application for bail of his client which has been duly served on the prosecution.

He prayed the court to be allowed to move the motion for bail.

Justice Kumaliya, however, declined the prayer of the defence.

She adjourned the matter till November 24 for hearing of the bail application and commencement of trial.

The court ordered that the defendant be remanded in the Correctional Facility.