The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, March 2, 2020, at the resumption of the trial of Aisha Alkali Wakil (popularly known as Mama Boko Haram) alongside Tahiru Saidu Daura and Prince Lawal Shoyade called four witnesses to prove its case of fraud against the trio.
The witness reports that Wakil, Chief Executive Officer of Complete Care and Aid Foundation, the Programme Manager, Daura, and the Country Director, Shoyade were arraigned before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri.
The Trio were arraigned on January 20, 2020, on a five-count amended charge, bordering on cheating and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N111,650,000.
At the resumed hearing, counsel for the EFCC, Benjamin Manji, led four witnesses in evidence, as they explained how sham contracts were awarded to their companies and monies collected through dubious and unscrupulous means.
Muhammad Muhammad, while testifying as the first prosecution witness told the Court that he was introduced to the defendants and Complete Care and Aid Foundation by one Idi Maikatifa.
He said: “After the introduction, I was asked whether I had experience working with NGOs and I answered in the affirmative.
“Through my company Nyeuro International Company Limited, I was awarded a letter of contract for the supply of a Machine in the sum of N65m.
“I transferred N35million from my Jaiz account to one Saidu Mukhtar’s UBA account in two tranches with the assurances of paying me back within seventy-five days. Later, the second defendant called and offered another contract for the supply of scanning Machine worth N1,650,000.
“I transferred the sum of N1.65m into the account of Tahiru Saidu.
“I was not paid for both the two contracts but later the second defendant awarded another contract for the supply of three thousand 50kg white beans worth N66m with the assurances of getting all my monies for the contracts.
“After the supply, Daura took me to the Wakil and she asked me to be patient and assured me of getting my money as soon as possible”.
Testifying as the second prosecution witness, Hamza Olariwaju Musa, a staff of United Bank for Africa, told the court that, based on the request by EFCC Maiduguri Zonal Office, UBA obliged with account opening packages, mandate cards, statement of accounts and signature certificates of Complete Care and Aid Foundation, Saidu Mukhtar and Dahiru Saidu.
Musa said: “On June 22, 2018, there was a transfer of N10m from Nyeuro International Limited to Saidu Mukhtar’s account.
“On the same date, there was a transfer of N10m from Saidu Mukhtar’s account to To-Day’s Super Stores”
“On 28th June 2018 there was a transfer of N10m from Nyeuro to Saidu Mukhtar’s account and there was another transfer from Mukhtar’s account to Complete Care and Aid Foundation’s account.”
He further added that there was another transfer on 2nd July 2018 of N25m from Nyeuro to Saidu Mukhtar’s account.
He said: “On 3rd July 2018 there was a transfer of N20m from Mukhtar’s account into Complete Care and Aid Foundation’s. On that same date, there was another transfer of N20m to To-Day’s Super Stores.
“On 28th July 2018 there was a credit of N10m from Saidu Mukhtar to Complete Care and Aid Foundation and of N5m from Dahiru Saidu to Complete Care and Aid Foundation. There was another transfer on same date of N15m to To-Day’s Super Store.”
Kaigama Jibril, a staff of Jaiz Bank, testifying as the third witness, informed the court that, he knows Nyeuro International Limited and Mohammed (PW1).
“In 2018, EFCC wrote a letter to Jaiz Bank requesting for account document package, BVN, statement of account and certificate of identification in respect of Mohammed Umar Mohammed (PW1) and Complete Care and Aid Foundation,” Jibril stated.
Jibril added that on 22nd and 28th of June, 2018 N10m was transferred in two tranches from Nyeuro to Saidu Mukhtar’s account, totaling to N20m.
“On 2nd July 2018 there was a transfer of N25m from Nyeuro to Mukhtar,” he said.
The fourth prosecution witness, Bashir Abubakar, a businessman and owner of To-Day’s Super Stores told the Court that he was awarded a contract by the defendants through complete Care and Aid Foundation.
He said: “Sometime in 2018, I received an award letter from Complete Care and Aid Foundation in the sum of N70m. Through a letter, I was directed to pay the sum of N50m into Saidu Mukhtar’s account, which I obliged.
“The defendants promised to pay back within forty-five days, which they did not. I met with the first defendant and she told me that she has directed the second defendant to pay me my money. Therefore, I received the sum of N35m in tranches from Complate Care and Aid Foundation.
Justice Kumaliya, thereafter, adjourned until March 3, 2020, for continuation of trial.