Justice Umaru Fadawu of the Borno State High Court in Maiduguri has sentenced Aisha Wakil (also known as Mama Boko Haram), Tahiru Daura, and Lawal Soyade to 10 years in prison.
This information was provided in a statement by Dele Oyewale, the Head of Media and Publicity for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday night.
The EFCC’s Maiduguri Zonal Command had previously obtained a conviction against Wakil and her accomplices for fraudulently obtaining N15 million from Bukar Kachalla of Hamiza Global Resources Limited. They claimed to be supplying three units of Chemistry Analyser Solar Energy Brand Model 1800 (UK version), which was a false pretense.
The action is in violation of Section 1(1)(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
Former EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, stated that Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court has sentenced Wakil and his accomplices to seven years in prison. They were found guilty of conspiracy and obtaining money through deceitful means.
In his statement, Oyewale said, “The defendants were jailed upon being arraigned by the Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, March 5, 2020, on a two count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N40 million.
Count two of the charge reads: “That you Aisha Alkali Wakil, Tahiru Alhaji Saidu Daura, and Prince Lawal Soyade whilst being the Chief Executive Officer, Programme Manager, and Country Director respectively of Complete Care and Aid Foundation, (a Non-Governmental Organisation) and Saidu Mukhtar (at large) sometime in Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N40m from one Bashir Abubakar, the Chief Executive Officer of Duty-Free Shop Ltd under the false pretence of executing a purported contract for the supply of five X-ray Machines 1900 with Solar Energy which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section (1) 1 (b) 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 charges were read to them. The counsel for the prosecution, A. I Arogha, presented four witnesses and submitted 17 exhibits to the court.
According to the statement, Justice Fadawu convicted them and sentenced them to 10 years in prison for the crime of conspiracy.
Additionally, the court sentenced the defendants to 10 years in prison for the offense of obtaining by false pretense. They were also ordered to collectively and individually pay Bashir Muhammad the sum of N40 million.
“The prison term shall run concurrently on the expiration of all prison terms imposed on the convicts by any court.”
The convicts started their journey to the correctional center after a petitioner accused them of cheating him. They claimed to have a contract to provide five X-ray Machines 1900 with Solar Energy to a Non-Governmental Organization called Complete Care and Aid Foundation. The contract was valued at N40 million.
