The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Maiduguri zonal office, on Monday, July 22, 2019 arraigned one Alhaji Ali Kawu, before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri on a one-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust to the tune of N10 million.
The count reads: “That you, Alhaji Ali Kawu, being the alter ego of Faruk Kawu Investment Ltd, a company registered in Nigeria, sometime between 27th September, 2017 and February 2018 respectively at Maiduguri, Borno State within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, being entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: the gross sum of N18,120,000.00 (Eighteen Million One Hundred and Twenty Thousand Naira) by Hon. Wakil Bukar Lawan from Sabsabuwa Enterprises Nig. Ltd’s bank account domiciled with Zenith Bank Plc transferred into the bank account of Faruk Kawu Investment Ltd domiciled with Fidelity Bank Plc being payments for the purchase of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and dishonestly misappropriated the sum of N10,000,000.00 out of the said sum and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 311 of the Penal Code Act Cap. 102 Laws of Borno State of Nigeria and Punishable under Section 312 of the same Law.”
He pleaded “not guilty” to the charge.
Counsel for the EFCC, Benjamin Manji, thereafter, asked for a trial date to enable the prosecution present its witnesses, and further prayed that the defendant be remanded in prison.
While adjourning to August 1, 2019, Justice Kumaliya ordered that the defendant should be remanded in prison, and that the defence should bring before the court a formal bail application.