Court jails ‘Mama Boko Haram’, two others for N11m fraud in Borno

Aisha Kumaliya, Justice of the Borno State High Court in Maiduguri has sentenced Aisha Alkali Wakil, popularly known as “Mama Boko Haram,” along with Tahiru Saidu Daura and Prince Lawal Shoyode, to 14 years imprisonment each for conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretence.

The judgment, delivered on Wednesday, followed their conviction on a two-count charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The case, filed on September 14, 2020, by the EFCC’s Maiduguri Zonal Directorate, centred on a fraudulent contract scheme involving N11 million.

According to a statement issued by Dele Oyewale, Head of Media and Publicity at the EFCC, the three defendants, who were officials of the non-governmental organisation Complete Care and Aid Foundation, misled a businessman, Muhammed Ambare of Muhammed Ambare Ventures, into believing that they would supply, install, and service two X-Ray machines (Model 1800).

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Count two of the charge revealed that the accused persons conspired with one Saidu Mukhtar (now at large) in July 2018 to obtain N11 million from the petitioner under the guise of executing the said contract.

The EFCC stated that the offer was fraudulent, as the contract was never executed and the funds were not refunded.

“The defendants initially pleaded not guilty to the charges, which led to a full trial.

“During the proceedings, the prosecution, led by counsels Mukhtar Ali Ahmed and S.O. Saka, called one witness and submitted several documentary exhibits to support the case”, the statement reads.

After a prolonged trial marked by multiple adjournments at the instance of the defence, Justice Kumaliya found the defendants guilty on both counts.

She sentenced them to seven years on each count, with the sentences to run concurrently.

In addition to the jail term, the court also ordered the trio to jointly and severally refund N8 million to the victim

According to EFCC, failure to make the restitution would attract an additional seven years in prison.