The Maiduguri Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on February 18, 2021 arraigned one Dala Alhaji Gana before Justice Aisha B. Kumalia of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri on a three count charge bordering on cheating to the tune of Twenty Nine Million Naira (N29, 000,000.00).
The defendant’s trouble started when the EFCC received a petition, alleging that he collected the said sum in installments for the purpose of investing the money in a business with promises of returns for the complainant.
Investigation however revealed that the defendant neither invested the money nor return the funds to the complainant.
Count one of the charge reads, “ that you Dala Alhaji Gana sometime in May, 2019 in Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court fraudulently induced Ali Goni Lawal and Mohammed Maidugu by deceiving them to deliver the total sum of Two Hundred Thousand Riyals (R200,000) equivalent of Twenty Million Naira (N20,000,000.00) at exchange rate of One Hundred Naira (N 100.00) per Riyal, being money to invest in a business and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 320 of the Penal Code Law Cap 102 Laws of Borno State and punishable under Section 322 of the same Law.”
He pleaded ‘not guilty’ when the charge was read to him.
In view of the plea of the defendant, counsel for the prosecution Alqasim Jafa’ar prayed the court for a trial date and to remand the defendant in the Correctional Center pending the determination of the case.
Justice Kumalia ordered the remand of the defendant in the Maiduguri Custodial Centre and adjourned the case till March 8 and 9, 2021 for commencement of trial.