The Gombe Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on June 27, 2018 arraigned the duo of Alhaji Bello Isah and Alhaji Abdullahi Usman before Justice Abubakar Jauro of the Gombe State High Court on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery and obtaining goods by false pretence.

The defendants were arrested at Alkaleri Check Point, Bauchi Road, 80 kilometres from Gombe, by officers of the 33 Artllery, Nigerian Army Corps of Artillery, Shadawanka Barracks, Bauchi  and handed over to EFCC for further investigation.
 
It was alleged that the first defendant Usman who hails from Adamawa State conspired with the second defendant and approached Mustapha Maina, the owner of one of the popular stores in Gombe, Fusawa Stores under the pretext of buying goods in large quantities.

 

The first defendant was able to convince Maina, and obtained ready-made agbada, lace materials, wrappers, native caps, assorted perfumes, shoes, wrist watch, recharge cards and handsets worth N10,435,000 (Ten Million, Four Hundred and Thirty Five Thousand Naira only), as well as $5000 (Five Thousand United States Dollars) equivalent to N1,835,000  under the false pretence of purchasing the properties.

 

From the purchase point, the duo sneaked  into their car with all the goods and drove to Alkaleri enroute Bauchi with the intent of escaping with the goods. They were however, arrested.

 

Count one of the charge reads: "That you, ABDULLAHI USMAN and BELLO ISAH sometimes in May 2018 at Gombe, Gombe State within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, did agree among yourselves to commit  an offence to wit: conspiracy to obtain properties from one MUSTAPHA SALEH MAINA of Fusaha Stores, Gombe under false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8 (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act".

 

They pleaded "not guilty" to the charges.

 

Prosecution counsel, A.Y. Muntaka, therafter requested for "two clear" days to open and close his case.

 

Defence counsel, I.A. Wokdung then applied for the bail of his clients orally. The presiding judge, however, told him that his court was a court of records.

 

"You have to formally apply for bail," the judge held.

 

While adjourning the case to July 9, 2018 for hearing on the bail application, Justice Jauro remanded the defendants in prison custody.

                 Media and Publicity
                  27 June, 2018