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| The suspects |
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Maiduguri Zonal Office, on Monday, April 15, 2019 arraigned Usman Ibrahim Idris alongside his company Influential Investment Company Limited before Justice Fadawu Umar of the Borno State High Court sitting in Maiduguri, on a one-count charge bordering on criminal misappropriation to the tune of N10 million.
The count reads: โThat you, Usman Ibrahim Idris, being a Managing Director and alter ego of INFLUENTIAL INVETMENT COMPANY LIMITED, a company registered in Nigeria, between 8th December 2016, and 1st March 2017 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, being entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: N10,000,000 (Ten Million Naira) by Abubakar Mallam Baba as his Investment in INFLUENTIAL INVETMENT COMPANY LIMITED for feeding of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Maiduguri and dishonestly misappropriated the said sum of N10,000,000 (Ten Million Naira) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 311 of the Penal Code Act Ca. 102 Laws of the Borno State of Nigeria and punishable under section 312 of the same Law.โ
Similarly, at the same court, one Ahmadu Mai, officer II, Finance and Accounts of Yola Distribution Company Bulunkutu Business Unit Maiduguri, Borno State was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and diversion of funds to the tune of N5,718,049.28.
His journey to the dock started when the Commission received a petition against him by Yola Electricity Distribution Company.
Investigations by the disciplinary committee of the company revealed that, between July 2016 and July 2017, the defendant used his position to confer upon himself the total sum of over N5 million revenue belonging to the company.
Count one of the charge reads: โThat you, Ahamdu Mai, while being Officer II Finance and Accounts with Yola Electricity Distribution Company, Bulunkutu Business Center Maiduguri, within the Jurisdiction of the High of Justice Borno State used your position to confer upon yourself the total sum of N5,718,049.28 (Five Million Seven Hundred and Eighteen Thousand Forty Nine Naira and Twenty Eight Kobo) revenue belonging to Yola Electricity Distribution Company and thereby committed and offence Contrary to and punishable under Section 19of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.โ
They pleaded “not guilty” to the charges preferred against them by the prosecution.
Counsels for the EFCC, A.U. Ringim and Fatsuma Muhammad prayed the court to fix a date for the commencement of their trials, that they should be remanded in prison.
Thereafter, Justice Umar adjourned to April 29, 2019 for Idris, and May 8, 2019 for Ahmadu for commencement of trial and ordered that they should be remanded in the prison.
