MAN ARRESTED FOR N8.5M FRAUD IN BORNO STATE

The Maiduguri Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, July 30, 2019 arraigned one Baba Shehu Hayatu, before Justice Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri on a two-count charge, bordering on criminal breach of trust and cheating to the tune of N8.5million.

Hayatu’s journey to the dock started when the EFCC received a petition against him from Mohammed Alhaji Bukar, alleging that the defendant sometime in 2017 received the sum of N8.5million, which was to enable him (defendant) buy plots of land for him as well as execute a contract on his behalf, but ended up converting the sum to his personal use.

Count one of the charges reads: “That you Baba Shehu Hayatu sometime in 2017 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court being entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: N4,500,000 (Four Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira) only by one Mohammed Alhaji Bukar being payment for the purchase of plots of land did dishonestly misappropriate the entire sum and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 311 and 312 of the Penal Code Laws of Borno State Cap. 102 Vol. 3 of 1994 respectively.”

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.

In view of his plea, prosecution counsel, Haruna Abdulkadir, asked the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded in prison custody, pending trial.

Consequently, Justice Kumaliya ordered that Hayatu be remanded in prison custody and adjourned the matter to August 7, 2019.