Two Arraigned Over N115.7m Contract Scam in Maiduguri

The Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today, August 10, 2021, arraigned one Muhammad Suleiman Gumsuri before Justice Umaru Fadawu of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri for alleged N93, 800,000.00 (Ninety-Three Million Eight Hundred Thousand Naira) fraud.

The defendant allegedly obtained the sum fraudulently from one Shettima Mohammed on the pretext of supplying non-food items to “Save The Children”, a Non-Governmental Organisation.

The one count charge reads: “That you, Muhammad Suleiman Gumsuri, sometimes in February, 2021 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud did obtained the gross sum of N 93, 800,000.00 (Ninety Three Million Eight Hundred Thousand Naira) only from Shettima Mohammed through Karlton International Company’s account number 1023671556 domiciled at UBA and Amir Goni Abdullahi’s Fidelity Bank account number 6012182416 via your account number 0141428771 domiciled at GT Bank and Fidelity Bank account number 6323579712 respectively, all bearing Muhammad Suleiman under the guise that the said sum represent payment for the supply of Non-Food items to Save the Children, an NGO, and 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 3 of the same Act.”

The defendant pleaded ‘not guilty’ when the charge was read to him.

The EFCC prosecutor, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed prayed for a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant in the Correctional Centre.

Justice Fadawu adjourned the case until September 15, 2021 for commencement of trial and ordered the remand of the defendant at the Maiduguri Medium Correctional Facility.

In a related development, One David Osigbe Irumekhe was arraigned on Tuesday, August 10, 2021 before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri on a-three count amended charge of criminal conspiracy and obtaining N 21,900,000.00 (Twenty One Million Nine Hundred Thousand Naira) by false pretence.

The defendant fraudulently collected the money under the guise of executing a purported contract awarded to Sky Source Global Concept by three NGOs: Terres Des Hummes, Medicin Du Monde and Danish Refugee Council.

Count one reads: “That you, David Osigbe Irumekhe, whilst being the Chief Executive Officer of Sky Source Global Concepts, sometimes between October and December 2020 at Maiduguri within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud did obtained N 21, 900,000.00 (twenty one Million Nine Hundred Thousand Naira) from Annie Adam under the false pretence of executing a purported contract awarded to Sky Source Global Concept by Terres Des Hummes, Medicin Du Monde and Danish Refugee Council all NGOs 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 defendant pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charges.

Justice Kumaliya adjourned to September 14, 2021, for commencement of trial and ordered the remand of the defendant in the Correctional Facility.

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