Court Jails Mama Boko Haram For ₦11m Contract Fraud In Maiduguri

Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court sitting in Maiduguri on Wednesday convicted and sentenced the trio of Aisha Alkali Wakil (also known as Mama Boko Haram), Tahiru Saidu Daura and Prince Lawal Shoyode to a 14-year jail term each.

This was disclosed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, on Wednesday.

The defendants were arraigned on September 14, 2020, by the Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the EFCC on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of ₦11 million only.

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Count two of the charge read, “That you, Aisha Alkali Wakil, Tahiru Saidu Daura, Prince Lawal Shoyode whilst being Chief Executive Officer, Programme Manager, and Country Director respectively of Complete Care and Aids Foundation (Non-Governmental Organisation) and Saidu Mukhtar (now at large) sometime in July 2018 at Maiduguri within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud obtained the sum of ₦11 million only from one Muhammed Ambare of Muhammed Ambare Ventures under the false pretence of executing a purported contract of supply, installation and servicing of two units of X- Ray Machine Model 1800, which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences, Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them, prompting the matter to go into full trial.

In the course of the trial, the prosecution counsel, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed, and S. O. Saka presented one witness and tendered several documents before the court in proving the case.

Delivering judgment on Wednesday after several adjournments at the instance of the defendants, Justice Kumaliya convicted and sentenced them on count one and two to seven years imprisonment each.

The prison terms are to run concurrently.

The judge ordered the convicts to jointly and severally restitute the sum of N8 million to the petitioner or serve an additional seven years prison term.

The convicts’ journey to the Correctional facility started as a result of their dubious act of awarding purported contracts for the supply, installation and services of two units of X- Ray Machine Model 1800 to the petitioner and his company.

They made the petitioner transfer the sum of ₦11 million into a third party’s account, Saidu Muktar (now at large), and the contract was never executed nor the money returned to the petitioner.