‘Mama Boko Haram,’ two others jailed 10 years for N40m fraud

Justice Umaru Fadawu of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri, has sentenced Aisha Wakil, popularly known as Mama Boko Haram, and two others to 10 years imprisonment each for N40 million fraud.

The other convicts are – Tahiru Saidu Daura and Prince Lawal Soyade.

The duo are the Chief Executive Officer and Programme Manager, and Country Director of Complete Care and Aid Foundation, a non-governmental organization.

The trio were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a two-count charge of conspiracy and fraud to the tune of N40 million.

The commission alleged that the convicts conspired with one Saidu Mukhtar, now at large, to obtain N40 million from the CEO of Duty-Free Shop Limited, Bashir Muhammed, under the false pretence of executing a contract for the supply of five x-ray machines with solar energy.

The offence, according to EFCC, was contrary to Section 1(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.

READ ALSO: EFCC arraigns ‘Mama Boko Haram’ for alleged N150m fraud

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, confirmed the development in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

He said: “The convicts’ journey to the correctional centre began when a petitioner alleged that they swindled him through a purported contract for the supply of five x-ray machines 1900 with solar energy to a non-governmental organisation, Complete Care and Aid Foundation, worth N40m. They neither supplied the machines nor returned the contract sum to the petitioner.

“The prosecution counsel, A.I. Arogha, presented four witnesses and tendered 17 exhibits before the court.

“Justice Fadawu consequently convicted the defendants and sentenced them to 10 years imprisonment for the offence of conspiracy.

“The court further sentenced the defendants to 10 years imprisonment for the offence of obtaining by false pretence and ordered them to jointly and severally pay the sum of N40 million to Bashir Muhammad.

“The judge ordered that prison terms run concurrently.”

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