Balqees Adeniji
The Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Fatima Muhammad, also known as Fatima Modu Chol Chol, before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court in Maiduguri, over an alleged N15,250,000 fraud.
Muhammad faces a total of eight charges, including obtaining money under false pretenses and criminal misappropriation, with the fraudulent transactions amounting to over N15 million.
The charges, according to court documents, stem from an incident that took place on August 5, 2021, in Maiduguri, where she allegedly defrauded one Umar Faruq Kyari of the sum of N4,200,000.
The defendant purportedly convinced Kyari that the funds were required for a business venture involving carpets and wrappers.
She directed him to deposit the money into an Access Bank account with the number 1408030233, registered under the name Alhaji Mai Zanna.
The business, as claimed by Muhammad, was aimed at buying and selling rugs, wrappers, and other textile materials
. However, the prosecution maintains that she neither used the funds for the stated business nor returned the money to the victim.
The charges filed against her cite violations of Section 1(1)(a) & (b) and Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act, 2006.
When the charges were read to her in court, Fatima Muhammad pleaded not guilty to all allegations.
In response, the prosecution counsel, Faruku Muhammad, requested the court to schedule a trial date and remand the defendant in a Correctional Centre pending the trial.
Justice Aisha Kumaliya, presiding over the case, adjourned the proceedings to Monday, March 17, 2025, for the commencement of trial. The judge also ordered that Fatima Muhammad be remanded in the Correctional Centre until the next hearing date.
This case adds to the growing list of individuals being brought to justice by the EFCC in Maiduguri for various financial crimes.
The EFCC has been actively pursuing suspects involved in fraudulent activities, with this latest arraignment underscoring its commitment to tackling economic crimes and ensuring justice for victims of fraud across the country.
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